These ETFs include the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ), which is trading at $36.06 per unit, up 0.33% this morning.

Investors participating in the distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) for any of these ASX ETFs will receive their new units shortly.

Here are the final distributions for investors receiving cash payments, and the DRP prices for those who are reinvesting their dividends.

Dividends for iShares ETFs

Own other ASX ETFs?

It's dividend season for several ASX ETF providers.

If you own Betashares ETFs such as Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) or Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF), check your bank account today to ensure you received your dividend payment yesterday.

If you own Vanguard ETFs such as Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) or Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY), you were also paid yesterday.

Follow the links provided above to find out how much your dividends or DRP unit prices were for this round of distributions.

The post Own ASX IOZ or other iShares ETFs? Here are the dividends you'll get today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It includes the 200 largest Australian companies based on market capitalisation.

The index is also market-cap weighted, meaning bigger companies have more influence on the index's movement

In simple terms: it shows how the top slice of the Australian stock market is performing overall.

Here in Australia, it has a strong weighting towards big banks and mining companies, which make up most of the largest companies. 

Investors often monitor the performance of this index to see how their portfolio compares. 

Many Aussie investors also compare the ASX 200 Index to the benchmark index in the US – the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX). 

The S&P 500 tracks the performance of 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States.

Unlike the ASX 200, it is weighted heavily towards technology giants like Apple and consumer discretionary stocks like Amazon. 

How do you invest in these markets?

The simplest way for investors to gain exposure to these markets is through ASX ETFs.

If you are looking to track the performance of the ASX 200, two options to consider are: 

• iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)
• BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)

Meanwhile, for exposure to the S&P 500, investors may consider: 

• iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)
• SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (ASX: SPY)

There are also several alternatives to these ASX ETFs that may provide a slightly different focus for investors to consider. 

For example, investors looking for slightly more diversification in the Australian market could consider the Global X Australia 300 ETF (ASX: A300). 

As the name suggests, it includes the 300 largest companies rather than the traditional 200. 

Focusing on the US, another popular investment is in the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ). 

This index is often referred to as representing the new economy – including 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq in the US. 

My colleague Grace Alvino explains why investors may target this fund instead of the traditional S&P 500 in her article from this morning. 

It's also important to note that investors do not have to decide between one or the other.

Many investors choose to include both US and Australian focused funds in their portfolio.

Which is performing better this year?

So far in 2026, the ASX 200 has increased by approximately 2.7%. 

Considering a fall of 9% during March, it has shown resilience to geopolitical volatility this year. 

Meanwhile in the US, the S&P 500 has increased 1.59%. 

Finally, the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX) is currently tracking somewhere in between the two, rising 2.5% year to date. 

The post Has the ASX 200 or S&P 500 been a better investment this year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Rising oil and gas prices rattled investors, raising concerns about the impact on the businesses they were invested in.

We are starting to see that impact, with Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) doubling its jet fuel cost estimates for 2H FY26 today.

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) chair Dr Andrew Forrest has also revealed they paid up to double for emergency fuel supplies last month.

With all this in mind, it's interesting to look at how Aussie investors repositioned their ASX ETF portfolios as the conflict unfolded.

Aussies have $329 billion invested in ASX ETFs, and last month they ploughed an additional $5.6 billion into their favoured funds.

That makes March the third-highest month for net inflows ever. It seems the volatility caused by the war did not dampen their interest.

A new report from Betashares, which shows the top 10 ASX ETFs for inflows and outflows last month, reveals some interesting trends.

Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX ETFs for inflows last month

Top 10 ETFs for outflows

How ASX ETFs investors repositioned last month

The VAS ETF is the most popular Australian shares ETF on the market, so it's no surprise to see it take out the top spot.

VGS is the most popular international shares ETF, so it's routine to see it close to the top as well.

The presence of IHVV in the top inflows list, and its unhedged counterpart IVV ETF in the top outflows, shows investors are mindful of currency changes over the past 12 months.

The Australian dollar has risen from just over 60 US cents 12 months ago to a three-year high of 70.8 US cents today.

As James Gruber, Equity Market Strategist at CommSec, points out:

When the Australian dollar strengthens, your international ETF returns shrink, and if the Australian dollar weakens, your returns improve.

Outflows from QAU ETF reflect profit-taking amid a 21% decline in the gold price over the first three weeks of March.

Sprott Managing Partner, Paul Wong, said investors need not be worried though.

Wong added:

Gold's March drop reflects a liquidity crunch, not a breakdown in its long-term role. 

As financial stress builds, gold is likely to reassert itself as a key monetary anchor.

Another interesting trend is the inflows into non-US international ETFs, reflecting the poorer performance of US markets this year.

In the year to date, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) has lifted just 0.6% compared to a 3% bump for the ASX 200.

The post How ASX ETF investors repositioned as the Iran war shook markets appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

BlackRock has announced the estimated distributions (dividends) for a range of its ASX iShares exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

The fund manager will pay investors on 21 April.

Dividends for iShares ASX ETFs

Here are the estimated dividends that investors will receive on 21 April.

The amounts will be finalised tomorrow, which is also the record date.

These iShares ETFs are trading ex-dividend today.

How is ASX IOZ performing?

The ASX IOZ aims to mirror the performance of the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index, before fees and expenses.

The Accumulation Index is different to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) because it assumes the reinvestment of dividends.

Therefore, the index reflects total returns over a given period, whereas the benchmark ASX 200 Index only reflects capital gains.

This ETF provides an easy way to invest in the top 200 companies by market capitalisation on the ASX.

It includes exposure to the biggest ASX 200 banks and mining shares, which have traditionally paid some of the largest dividend yields.

They include the market's largest company, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), as well as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares.

Over the 12 months to 31 March, ASX IOZ returned 11.71% to investors.

The ETF's three-year average return is 9.47%. The five-year average return is 8.56%.

The management fee is 0.05%.

The post Own ASX IOZ or other iShares ETFs? Here is your next dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Australia's benchmark index entered correction territory briefly this week before slightly bouncing back. 

A new report from Betashares has explored how long similar falls in the past have taken to recover.

What is a correction and how often do they happen?

A market correction is a short-term drop in stock prices – usually defined as a decline of 10% or more. 

A bear market usually involves a decline of 20% or more.

According to Betashares, falls of more than 5% happen roughly once a year on average. 

Of those that reach 10%, just over half go on to become deeper declines, although the risk is lower when the economy is not heading into recession.

Hans Lee, Senior Finance Writer at Betashares, said the most recent comparable moment was Liberation Day in April last year, when Trump's tariff announcement sent the ASX down 15.8% peak-to-trough in a matter of days. 

It recovered fully within weeks.

Before that, investors experienced a 35% fall in the Australian share market in just five weeks during early 2020. Markets recovered to pre-crash levels just 13 months later.

History offers some reassurance here. Markets price fear faster than they price recovery – which is why making significant decisions on instinct tends to produce worse results than sitting tight.

Why is the market falling?

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is the main catalyst of recent declines. 

However unlike liberation day sell-offs last year, the current fall is having more direct impacts to the economy. 

Last year, when President Trump announced widespread tariffs, markets reacted quickly, and priced in this fear before any real economic impact was felt. 

This was a classic example of markets reacting more to expectations and uncertainty than to immediate, measurable economic damage.

In contrast, the current conflict is resulting in higher oil prices. These feed directly into inflation, complicating the picture for central banks.

The RBA raised rates again earlier this month fearing inflationary pressures from the impact of higher oil prices, while the US Federal Reserve signalled it's in no hurry to cut rates any time soon.

Is this likely to persist?

According to Betashares, history says there is a good chance the conflict is short lived. 

Research by Hartford Funds found that historically the S&P 500 was higher one year after the onset of conflict 73% of the time , with average one-year returns in the high single digits. Oil-driven shocks can take longer to resolve, but history still favours patience over panic.

Chief Economist David Bassanese's base case is that a negotiated resolution remains the most likely outcome. But markets are waiting for confirmation and, until they get it, volatility will be the default setting.

Is now the time to buy?

Here at The Motley Fool, we are long-term focussed. 

With that framework in mind, a 10% decline to Australia's benchmark index is a chance to top up your portfolio at a relative value. 

It's important to remember that short-term volatility is likely to persist. There's no guarantee of a quick resolution to the current conflict in the Middle East. 

However as Betashares research points out, over the long-term, markets like the ASX 200 will recover, and eventually steam ahead. 

If you are looking for broad exposure to the ASX 200, here are a few ASX ETFs to consider: 

• BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)
• iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)
• Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) – Targets the ASX 300 rather than just the 200 largest companies. 

The post How long will it take for the ASX 200 to recover? Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Instead, the 'States have long been the hunting ground for the world's best growth stocks. That's not surprising when we consider the calibre of long-time winners like NVIDIA, Tesla, Mastercard, Amazon, Alphabet, Netflix, and Microsoft, amongst many others.

It's true that dividends from US stocks don't come with franking credits attached. But that doesn't mean that Australian investors can't obtain a decent income from stocks across the Pacific.

Indeed, the US markets are home to some of the world's most impressive dividend growth streaks. Companies like Coca-Cola, Altria, Johnson & Johnson, Pepsico and Colgate-Palmolive have delivered an annual dividend increase every single year for at least 50 years. That's not something that many ASX share can claim.

Sure, if one buys a US-based index fund, they can expect a lot less in dividend income upfront compared to buying an ASX index fund. To illustrate, the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) is currently trading with a trailing dividend distribution yield of 3.42%. In contrast, the iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV), which tracks the most popular gauge of the American markets, will only get you a trailing yield of 1.1% at current pricing.

Can US stocks deliver decent passive income?

Let's assume for a moment that these two index funds pay out the same dividend distributions over the coming 12 months as the past 12. If that's the case, an investor would need to invest just over $700,000 in the ASX index fund of they wished to receive roughly $2,000 a month in passive dividend income. But for the S&P 500 ETF, the amount required for that same level of passive income would stand at just under $2.2 million.

However, there are easier ways to get a higher yield from US stocks. Probably the easiest is by buying higher-yielding passive income stocks. Not all of the highest calibre companies on the US markets are growth beasts. Let's start with some of the dividend stars we listed above. right now, Coca Cola shares are trading with a dividend yield of 2.72%. Pepsico offers 3.51%, while Altria has a whopping 6.32% on the table.

No dividend is safe, no matter how long its streak of annual increases. But it does give us a guide that a company knows how to make consistent profits through all kinds of economic cycles.

A combination of these kinds of shares can easily help an ASX passive income investor get at least as much of a yield form the US markets as is available on the ASX, and perhaps even more.

The post How much do you need to invest in US stocks to earn a $2,000 monthly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

With one trade, you get exposure to hundreds – even thousands – of companies, spreading risk and reducing the need to pick individual winners.

Here are 3 ASX ETFs that can offer a genuinely stress-free start to investing.

Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)

This ASX ETF is a straightforward way to own Australia's 200 largest listed companies. Blue chips such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) dominate its portfolio.

In one trade, you're effectively buying a slice of the Australian economy. It spans from banks and miners to healthcare leaders and retailers. A200 ETF is known for its ultra-low management fee, which helps maximise long-term compounding.

While banking and mining heavyweights dominate the Australian market, this ETF provides broad, diversified exposure. All without the stress of choosing individual blue chips.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

This fund opens the door to developed markets worldwide. This ASX ETF holds thousands of companies across the United States, Europe and parts of Asia.

Among its largest holdings are global giants such as Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) and NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA). That exposure adds powerful technology and innovation leaders that are underrepresented on the ASX.

By spreading your money across multiple economies and industries, VGS ETF can help smooth returns over time. However, currency movements may influence performance in the short term.

iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)

This ASX ETF is rounding out the trio. Like A200, IOZ ETF focuses on Australia's largest 200 companies, tracking the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). Its top holdings closely mirror the leaders of the local share market, including retail giant Wesfarmers Limited (ASX: WES) and Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), alongside the major banks and miners.

This ASX fund offers strong liquidity and exposure to the companies that drive much of the ASX's overall performance.

Foolish Takeaway

The beauty of these ASX ETFs is their simplicity. You can choose one as a starting point or combine Australian exposure through A200 or IOZ with global diversification via VGS.

Instead of chasing hot tips, you own broad sections of the market and let time and compounding do the heavy lifting.

For investors who want a calm, disciplined entry into the share market, that kind of structure can make all the difference.

The post 3 ASX ETFs for a stress-free start to investing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Building a globally diversified portfolio doesn't require dozens of holdings or a constant stream of trading decisions. This structure with 5 diversified ETFs is simple, transparent, and built for the long haul.

Global X Australia 300 ETF (ASX: A300) 

The foundation starts at home. This ASX ETF provides exposure to the 300 largest companies on the ASX. That means ownership across the full spectrum of Australia's corporate heavyweights.

It includes banks like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), miners such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), as well as to healthcare leader CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) and retail giant Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

A300 is broad, diversified and low cost, making it well suited to anchor roughly 30% of a portfolio in domestic equities.

iShares S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) 

This ASX ETF offers a slightly tighter focus on the 200 largest Australian companies. While there is overlap with A300, IOZ remains one of the lowest-cost ways to gain exposure to the core of the Australian market.

Together, these funds ensure investors capture dividends, franking credits and the performance of Australia's biggest listed businesses.

Betashares Global Shares ETF (ASX: BGBL) 

Global diversification is where long-term growth often accelerates. This Betashares ETF delivers exposure to around 1,500 companies across developed markets.

Investors gain access to global leaders such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN), alongside major European and Japanese corporations.

It spreads risk across sectors including technology, healthcare, financials and consumer goods, reducing reliance on any single economy.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: HQLT) 

For a sharper tilt toward financially strong businesses, this ASX ETF narrows the field to approximately 150 high-quality global companies selected for strong profitability, stable earnings and solid balance sheets.

The currency hedging back to Australian dollars reduces exchange rate volatility, which can smooth returns over time. This ETF adds a disciplined growth overlay to the global allocation.

SPDR Bloomberg AusBond ETF (ASX: BOND)

No portfolio is complete without a defensive component. BOND ETF invests in a diversified basket of Australian government and investment-grade corporate bonds.

Bonds typically move differently to shares, helping cushion portfolios when equity markets fall. They also provide income, adding stability to overall returns.

Foolish Takeaway

An allocation could look like this: around 30% in Australian equities through A300 and IOZ, approximately 35% in global shares via BGBL and HQLT, with the remaining portion in BOND to provide defensive ballast.

The result is a diversified, low-cost portfolio spanning thousands of companies worldwide, supported by high-quality bonds.

There is no need to predict which individual stock will outperform next year. Instead, investors gain broad exposure to the engines of global growth while maintaining stability through disciplined asset allocation. It's a structure designed to endure market cycles rather than chase them.

The post 5 low-cost ASX ETFs for a global diversified portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Among the most widely held are three familiar tickers: Vanguard Australian Shares ETF (ASX: VAS), BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200), and iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ).

They look similar on the surface, but each has a slightly different focus and appeal depending on what kind of investor you are.

VAS: The broad, all-rounder

Vanguard Australian Shares ETF is often the first ETF investors encounter — and for good reason. It tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), giving exposure to around 300 of the largest Australian-listed companies. That makes it the most diversified of the three.

The ASX ETF is heavily weighted toward financials and resources. It has big positions in Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). Because it reaches beyond the top 200 stocks, VAS also includes a meaningful slice of mid-caps. They can add a touch of growth over the long term.

VAS is attractive to investors who want a true "own the market" approach. It's often used as a core holding, particularly for long-term and income-focused portfolios. It pays regular dividends largely funded by bank and mining dividends.

A200: Low cost, big names

BetaShares Australia 200 has surged in popularity thanks to one key differentiator: cost. The ASX ETF tracks the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), like iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF, but with one of the lowest management fees available in Australia.

The fund focuses on the country's 200 largest companies. That means it's slightly more concentrated than VAS and excludes smaller mid-cap names. Its largest holdings overlap heavily with VAS. Think Commonwealth Bank, BHP, CSL, ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), and Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), but without the long tail of smaller stocks.

A200 appeals to cost-conscious investors who believe fees matter over the long run. If your goal is simple, low-cost exposure to Australia's biggest and most liquid companies, this ASX ETF is hard to ignore.

IOZ: The established core option

This ASX ETF is one of the longest-standing Australian equity ETFs and also tracks the ASX 200. iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF sits somewhere between VAS and A200 in terms of approach. It offers broad large-cap exposure with a competitive – though not the lowest – fee.

Like A200, IOZ is dominated by banks, miners, and healthcare giants. Investors get exposure to Australia's dividend-heavy blue chips. That makes it popular with income seekers and SMSFs looking for simplicity and reliability.

IOZ's appeal lies in its track record and issuer reputation. It's often chosen by investors who want a no-frills, set-and-forget ETF from a well-established provider.

Foolish Takeaway

VAS suits investors wanting the broadest exposure to the Australian market. A200 is ideal for those focused on minimising fees while sticking to large caps.

The third ASX ETF, IOZ, offers a proven, straightforward way to access Australia's biggest companies. None are better in isolation. The right choice depends on whether you value diversification, cost, or simplicity most.

The post 3 most popular ASX ETFs focused on Aussie shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The simplest ones track the performance of major indexes such as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

These are called 'passive ETFs' because they simply seek to mirror the performance of an indices, minus fees.

Active ETFs are managed by a professional team that selects the stocks in the portfolio for a higher fee.

Australians invested a net $53 billion into ASX ETFs last year, up 75% on 2024, according to Betashares data.

Given the popularity of ETFs, have you ever wondered which ones other investors are targeting?

We get a clue by looking at the full-year data recently published by the ASX.

The data shows which ETFs have the most funds under management.

This gives an indication as to which ETFs investors have had the most confidence in over the years.

Check them out.

Which ASX ETFs do investors like best?

1. Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

ASX VAS has $22.585 billion in funds under management. In 2025, a net $3 billion flowed in.

The VAS ETF tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), which represents the 300 largest listed companies by market capitalisation.

This includes blue-chip shares like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX: CBA), and CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL).

2. Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

VGS has $14.192 billion in funds under management. The ASX VGS brought in $2.6 billion in new funds last year.

The VGS ETF tracks the MSCI World ex-Australia (with net dividends reinvested) in Australian dollars Index.

ASX VGS gives investors exposure to about 1,300 international shares across 23 nations. US shares dominate the portfolio at 74%.

3. iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

IVV has $13.11 billion in funds under management. The ASX IVV attracted a net inflow of $1.17 billion in 2025.

ASX IVV tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX), which represents the 500 biggest listed companies in the US.

4. BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)

A200 has $8.88 billion in funds under management. The ASX A200 brought in $2.1 billion in new funds last year.

The BetaShares Australia 200 ETF tracks the ASX 200.

5. VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL)

QUAL ETF has $8.07 billion in funds under management. In 2025, a net $293 million flowed in.

The QUAL ETF tracks the MSCI World ex Australia Quality Index, which encompasses 300 diversified and high-quality companies listed on exchanges in developed markets outside Australia.

The 'quality' component has a specific definition: High return on equity (ROE), earnings stability, and a healthy balance sheet.

6. iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)

IOZ ETF has $7.798 billion in funds under management. The ASX IOZ brought in $1.1 billion in new funds last year.

The iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF tracks the performance of the ASX 200 Accumulation Index.

This index tracks the ASX 200 but also takes into account the reinvestment of dividends.

7. Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

NDQ ETF has $7.69 billion in funds under management. In 2025, a net $927 million flowed in.

This ETF tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX), which represents the 100 largest companies listed on the tech-heavy US NASDAQ.

8. Dimensional Australian Core Equity Trust — Active ETF (ASX: DACE)

This ASX ETF has $6.434 billion in funds under management. In 2025, DACE attracted a net inflow of $293 million.

DACE invests in a portfolio of ASX shares selected by Dimensional analysts.

9. Magellan Global Fund – Open Class Units – Active ETF (ASX: MGOC)

MGOC has $6.372 billion in funds under management. This ETF had a net outflow of $1.3 billion in 2025.

MGOC ETF invests in 20 to 40 stocks that the Magellan team considers best in their class.

10. Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF (ASX: VTS)

VTS ETF has $6.361 billion in funds under management. In 2025, investors ploughed an extra $377 million net into this ETF.

The VTS ETF tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index.

This gives investors exposure to more than 3,700 US-listed companies.

The post 10 most popular ASX ETFs on the market today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, it's my view that these balanced options are not a great fit for everyone. As I've discussed before, Australians under the age of 40 might be better off investing in a more growth-oriented fund that forgoes the stability that cash and bonds provide for a higher potential return by going all in shares. As anyone under 40 probably isn't going to retire anytime soon, stability and capital protection arguably shouldn't be high priorities at this stage of life.

When it comes to my own superannuation, I've put my money where my mouth is. My superannuation provider offers the choice of selecting individual index funds that I can invest my super into. So today, let's talk about the three ASX ETFs that I use within my super fund to achieve the best returns possible. The funds themselves aren't publicly traded, but have ASX counterparts which are essentially the same offering.

Three ASX ETFs that I've built my super fund around

Australian and international stocks

First up, we have a good old-fashioned S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fund. Roughly 40% of my super fund goes towards an ASX 200 index fund, one rather similar to the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) or the SPDR S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: STW). This fund holds the largest 200 stocks on the ASX. That's everything from Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) to JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) and Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN).

This index fund represents the best of Australian business. As ASX shares have historically delivered meaningful growth and healthy dividend income, I am very happy for this fund to receive some of my retirement cash.

Next up, another 50% or so of my super capital goes towards an international shares ETF. This ETF holds hundreds of different stocks from dozens of advanced economies around the world. These include the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and France, among many others. A listed equivalent might be the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS).

Australia is a wonderful place to invest, but its best companies simply don't have the firepower that international markets do. That's why I'm happy that this component of my super fund invests in world-dominating stocks like Apple, Amazon, NVIDIA, Mastercard, Alphabet, Toyota and Nestle.

Adding some diversity to my super fund

My super fund's final holding, making up that final 10% or so, provides even more diversification. It is an emerging markets fund, drawing thousands of holdings from emerging economies around the globe. An ASX equivalent might be the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares ETF (ASX: VGE). It offers exposure to countries like China, India and Taiwan. I think these economies will offer a lot of growth over the next few decades, and, as such, I am happy to have part of my super fund invested there.

Foolish takeaway

As I am still a few decades away from the traditional retirement age, I am happy to have 100% of my super fund invested in shares. With the three ETFs mentioned above, I feel that I have adequate diversification across multiple markets and currencies, whilst still maintaining exposure to some of the world's best companies. Individually selecting these investments also keeps my super costs as low as possible, which is of vital importance for building wealth over decades.

The post Here are the 3 ASX ETFs I use for my super fund appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Those ETFs include iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ) and iShares S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries ETF (ASX: ISO).

IOZ ETF delivered a solid 10.36% return for 2025 in line with the strength of the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) last year.

The ISO ETF outperformed, producing a 24.54% total return as ASX small-cap shares benefitted from three interest rate cuts.

Small-caps have market valuations of between a few hundred million dollars and $2 billion, and carry more debt to fund their growth.

Perpetual portfolio manager Alex Patten said 2025 represented the first time that small-caps had outperformed "in a number of years".

Patten said:

… now that rates are starting to come down, we're seeing more interest in small and micro caps and bit more liquidity in the market.

How much will ASX ETF investors receive today?

We have summarised the dividend amounts that investors will receive today, rounded to two decimal places.

The post Own IOZ or ISO ETFs? It's dividend payday for you! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) acts as the benchmark for the Australian stock market. 

It represents the largest 200 companies by market capitalisation.

Additionally, other important indexes we often compare it to are the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) or the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX). 

Generally, these are used as benchmarks in the US. 

Many investors use ASX ETFs to track the returns of these markets. 

If you want to track the ASX 200 here in Australia, you could invest in the BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) or the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ). 

These are great options to add to your portfolio for instant diversification.

But there are many more indexes, focussed on not just the biggest companies in Australia or globally. 

One making headlines at the moment is the Russell 2000 RIC Capped Index. 

What is the Russell 2000 index?

The Russell 2000 Index provides exposure to approximately 2,000 small-cap companies across various sectors. To clarify, these companies are almost all in the US. 

Ultimately, the benefit of tracking an index like this is having diversified access to early stage innovators.

This is because growth can be faster in early stage companies compared to blue-chip stocks.

In a report from Global X, Senior Investment Strategist Billy Leung explained how earnings growth can differ based on the size of a company. 

Large caps, particularly those dominating the S&P 500, are typically mature, globally exposed, and already operating at scale. Their earnings growth is often steadier, but materially harder to accelerate once expectations are high.

Boosted performance

It's been well documented that small-caps are enjoying a resurgence recently.

Here in Australia, ASX small-cap shares outperformed the larger players by almost 2.5 times last year, according to S&P Global data.

Looking to the US, Global X's recent report sheds light on how economic conditions are resembling previous periods of success for the Russell 2000 index. 

The Russell 2000 opportunity into 2026 is best understood as an earnings-led regime rather than a tactical rate-cut trade. History suggests that when relative earnings growth shifts decisively in favour of small caps, performance tends to follow, even without multiple expansion or aggressive margin recovery assumptions.

How to gain exposure

One option for investors looking to gain exposure to this index, or more generally, US small-cap stocks, is the The Global X Russell 2000 ETF (ASX: RSSL). 

It aims to track the performance of the Russell 2000 index. 

Ultimately, it enables investors to capture high-growth opportunities in early-stage companies and it is already catching economic tailwinds. 

Just yesterday, the fund rose an impressive 3%.

Furthermore, in the last 6 months, it's up more than 12%.

Comparatively, this has outpaced both the ASX 200 and S&P 500 over this period.

The post What is the Russell 2000 Index and why has it been booming over the past 6 months? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Or perhaps iShares S&P/ASX 20 ETF (ASX: ILC) or iShares S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries ETF (ASX: ISO)?

BlackRock has just announced the estimated distributions (dividends) for its ASX iShares exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

BlackRock will pay its next round of dividends on 19 January.

If you own any of these ETFs and want to top up your holdings ahead of this round of payments, you'd better be quick.

The ex-dividend date is tomorrow.

How much will iShares ASX ETF investors receive?

Here are the estimated dividends that investors will receive on 19 January.

The amounts will be finalised on Thursday, which is the record date.

Prefer to reinvest your dividends?

A distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) is available for all of the ASX iShares ETFs above.

A DRP allows investors to reinvest their distributions automatically each time dividends are paid.

It's a helpful set-and-forget option for investors seeking compounding returns over the long term.

BlackRock will be accepting DRP elections up until 5pm today.

The post Own ASX IOZ or other iShares ETFs? Dividends just announced! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Understandably, there can be plenty of information when it comes to investing in shares. 

But to simplify things, one strategy is to buy ASX ETFs. 

Why invest in an ASX ETF?

There are thousands of companies available to investors on the ASX. 

You can invest in these companies by purchasing shares. 

The goal is for the value of these shares to rise over time, as the company grows, generates more profit etc. 

However it can be difficult to decide which company to invest in.

But with an ASX ETF, you can gain exposure to a basket of shares with just one trade. 

So rather than picking and choosing individual stocks, an ASX ETF combines multiple – sometimes hundred of companies into one basket. 

So if you want to buy shares in 100 companies, you can actually do this at once, rather than 100 individual trades. 

The value of diversification

Diversifying your portfolio simply means not putting all your eggs in one basket. 

Here in Australia, the 200 largest companies are called the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). 

Tracking this index gives us an idea of how the Australian stock market is performing relative to years past, and other countries. 

For example, in 2025, this index increased by 6.26%. 

So if someone had $1,000 invested in an ASX ETF that moves in line with the ASX 200, it would have risen by roughly $1,062.60. 

So approximately a $62 profit. 

Historically, this return in 2025 was slightly below the average performance of the ASX 200 which has returned roughly 9-10%. 

An ASX ETF that has exposure to all top 200 companies is an example of diversification because it gives exposure to more than just one company. 

If one company performs poorly, losses can be offset by others that perform well. 

This theory can be taken even further. 

For example, there are years the ASX 200 performs poorly, like in 2022, the ASX 200 lost more than 5%. 

The benefit of diversification is that while the Australian market may decline, companies elsewhere can gain value over the same period. 

Starting a portfolio with 2 ASX ETFs

So taking into consideration these fundamental principles, there is a strong portfolio new investors can access with just two trades. 

The first ASX ETF a new investor might consider is iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ). 

The fund aims to provide investors with the performance of the S&P/ASX 200. 

As discussed earlier, this index is the 200 largest companies in Australia by market capitalisation. 

A great compliment to this fund is the iShares MSCI World ex Australia Quality ETF (ASX:IQLT). 

It is made up of almost 300 companies outside of Australia. 

These are large and mid-cap developed markets companies outside Australia, chosen because of higher profitability, lower leverage, consistent earnings growth. 

It includes some of the largest companies in the world like Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). 

These two funds can be a great starting point for a new investor, to gain access to historically well-performing companies both here in Australia and abroad. 

The post How to build a beginner portfolio in 2026 with just two ASX ETFs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It is made up of the 200 largest Australian companies based on market cap.

It is heavily weighted towards Australia's largest companies like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and mining giants like BHP Group (ASX: BHP). 

Because these companies are significantly larger than most of the others, the ASX 200 index is largely influenced by how these blue-chip companies perform. 

For example, CBA is twice as big as the next largest bank and almost 5x larger than the 11th largest company listed on the ASX. 

How did the ASX 200 perform this year

The ASX 200 index started the year at 8,201 points. 

It dropped significantly from February to early April, declining more than 14% in that span. 

This was largely due to a strong sell-off in early April as investors reacted to Tariff news from the US. 

After this initial panic, the ASX 200 steadily recovered. 

Prior to Christmas eve, it closed trading at 8,795.70 points, which is an overall rise of 7.25% for the year. 

Overall this sits just below, but close to an average year for the index. 

Motley Fool research shows the ASX 200 has compounded at roughly 9% per annum over the last 10 years, dividends included.

How does this compare to the US?

Two of the key indexes investors pay close attention to in the US are the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) and the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX). 

The first, the S&P 500 index, is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities. 

The index includes 500 leading companies and covers approximately 80% of available market capitalisation.

Meanwhile, the Nasdaq 100 Index includes 100 of the world's largest non-financial companies listed on the broader Nasdaq sharemarket. 

As a collection of dynamic companies at the forefront of innovation, the Nasdaq 100 Index has come to represent the 'new economy'. 

This year, the S&P 500 Index has risen 17.21%. 

Meanwhile, the NASDAQ-100 Index has risen 21.39%. 

Since 1985 (until December 2024), the NASDAQ-100 index has provided an average annual return of 14.25%, compared to 11.57% for the S&P 500. 

How do investors get exposure?

For investors looking to track these Australian and global indexes, there are many ASX ETFs to choose from. 

For exposure to the ASX 200, some options include: 

• BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)
• iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)
• SPDR S&P/asx 200 Fund (ASX: STW)

To track the S&P 500: 

• iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)
• SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (ASX: SPY)

To track the NASDAQ 100, investors can consider: 

• BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)
• Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: HNDQ)

The post Did the ASX 200, NASDAQ 100, or S&P 500 perform better this year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

CommSec has just announced which ETFs investors using its platform have favoured over the past year, and perhaps not surprisingly, they have a global and a technology focus.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

First cab off the rank is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF, which aims to track the tech-heavy NASDAQ's top 100 index, and given how US tech stocks have been performing over the past year, it's no surprise that this one has done well.

According to the Betashares website, this ETF has delivered a 20.87% return over the past year, not far off its index benchmark of 21.32%.

And over three years, the returns are even better, returning 29.49% against the index's 29.96%.

The fund's top holding is Nvidia, comprising 9% of its holdings, followed by Apple at 8.8%, Microsoft at 7.7%, and Broadcom at 5.5%.

That's just ahead of Amazon at 5.1%.

Other holdings include Alphabet, Tesla, and Meta.

iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ)

As the name suggests, this ETF, the second most popular with CommSec users, seeks to track the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which comprises the top 200 companies listed on the Australian bourse.

Australian shares have not performed anywhere near as well as the top US tech stocks over the past year, and this is reflected in the relatively muted return for this ETF of 5.44% over one year and a three-year return of 9.61%.

Given it tracks the top Aussie stocks, the largest holdings should be no surprise, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) the top dog at a 9.84% weighting, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) at 8.61%, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) at 5.03%, and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) at 4.92%.

Other companies in the top 10 holdings include CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), and Goodman Group (ASX: GMG).

iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO)

The third-most popular ETF among CommSec customers has a global focus; however, considering the dominance of US stocks, its holdings are similar to the NDQ ETF.

The fund aims to track 100 of the largest global stocks, and again, Nvidia and Apple are at the top of the holdings list, with 11.65% and 11.26% of the fund in these two stocks, respectively.

Among the differences between the ETFs is IOO's 2.42% holding in JP Morgan and holdings in Eli Lilly and Walmart.

This ETF has returned 22.43% over the past year and 28.04% over the past three years.

The post Check out the three most-traded ETFs on CommSec this past year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P Dow Jones Indices has announced the December quarter rebalance, which will become effective on 22 December.

Every quarter, S&P Dow Jones rebalances the ASX indices to ensure they accurately rank our largest stocks by market capitalisation.

Indices play an important role in enabling us to monitor and measure the market's performance over time.

The IOZ ETF seeks to track the performance of the ASX 200 before fees.

This means that every time S&P Dow Jones changes the composition of the ASX 200, BlackRock must adjust its IOZ ETF portfolio.

At the next rebalance, six companies will ascend into the ASX 200.

IOZ investors will gain exposure to three additional gold mining shares.

They are Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM), Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR) and Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) shares.

IOZ unit holders will also become invested in Canadian uranium miner, Nexgen Energy (Canada) CDI (ASX: NXG), telco share Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB), and nuclear technology developer, Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX) from the industrials sector.

The next rebalance will also see six ASX 200 shares exit the index.

They include the suspended ASX 200 travel share Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD), which hasn't traded since August.

Corporate Travel Management shares were suspended at the company's request after it disclosed accounting problems with its UK operations. Auditors have since uncovered incorrect revenue recognition of GBP 45.4 million and other irregularities.

If you own IOZ ETF, you will also lose exposure to uranium miner Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) and car parts retailer Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP).

Also exiting the ASX 200 will be poultry producer Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING).

Alternative asset manager, HMC Capital Ltd (ASX: HMC), and intellectual property services firm, IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH) will also go.

ASX investors have $322 billion invested in ETFs

Aussie investors love ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for their simplicity, diversification, and low fees.

The latest Betashares data shows Australians invested a record $5.99 billion into ASX ETFs in October alone.

A record $321.7 billion in funds are invested across more than 400 ETFs trading on the market today.

ETFs enable investors to buy a basket of shares in one trade for a single brokerage fee.

They are a convenient and passive investment option that many ASX investors consider lower risk.

BlackRock charges IOZ investors 0.05% per year.

The post Own IOZ ETF? Here are your new investments appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As it currently stands, $500 is the minimum amount you can trade on the stock market at any one time.

If you've never bought ASX shares before, that $500 could well be the best money you will ever spend in your life.

But while deciding you want to invest in ASX shares is a momentous step to take in one's financial journey, it is only a first step.

Let's talk about how to actually start buying shares this December.

How to start buying ASX shares with $500 this December

Once you have your $500 ready to go, the next step a potential investor will need to take is to find a broker. A broker is the business that investors use to buy and sell shares on their behalf. In years gone by, this would be an actual person working at a bank or brokerage house. But today, most investors use an online brokerage platform. These are cheap and easy, and suit investors of all experiences.

Traditionally, the brokerage platforms run by the major Australian banks have been investors' first port of call. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)'s CommSec and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)'s NABtrade are both popular choices.

But there are other options out there, too. These range from Stake and Superhero to eToro, Moomoo, and Interactive Brokers.

Each of these platforms offers broadly the same service. I would advise anyone new to the sharemarket to check out a few of these and see which ones feel most comfortable and easy to navigate.

Once you open an account with a broker, you will have the opportunity to move your $500 into an account. Once those funds have been transferred over, you are ready to buy your first ASX shares.

The next step to invest that $500 is to find a suitable investment.

Choosing your first investment

There are literally hundreds of companies that you can buy shares in, just on the ASX alone. Everything from Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) to JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) or Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

The sheer range of options can be very intimidating in itself. That's why I advocate a more diversified investment for a first timer. The stock market not only houses shares of individual companies, but also companies and funds that invest in other shares on behalf of their owners.

These investments do the hard work for you, buying and selling shares on your behalf. Index funds, for example, are a popular choice for new investors. They work by holding a large swathe of other companies, giving investors inherent diversification.

An index fund like the iShares Core S&P/ASX 200 ETF (ASX: IOZ), for example, simply holds the largest 200 companies listed on the Australian share market. That's everything from CBA and NAB to Telstra and Coles. An index fund like IOZ 'rebalances' itself every three months to ensure that it always accurately reflects those 200 shares.

This means an investor can buy into the fund and put it in the proverbial bottom drawer, as it will always return the average of what the Australian share market generates. That's been about 8.3% per annum since 2010.

There are other ASX index funds that offer something similar. These range from the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) to the BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200).

Clicking the buy button

Whichever share or index fund you choose, you will need to note its ticker code (for example, IOZ for the iShares S&P/ASX 200 ETF). Your brokerage platform's website or app will have a 'buy and sell' function. That's where you will input the ticker code, find your investment and then have the option to buy shares if the market is open. A market order will buy shares at the best available price, so all you have to do is choose how many shares you wish to buy with your $500.

Once the trade has executed, you will be notified that you have made your first ASX investment. Congratulations on taking a real step towards building wealth.

The post Start buying shares in December with a spare $500? Here's how! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Last month alone, Aussie investors ploughed $5 billion into ASX ETFs. 

According to Betashares, that was the second time the industry has seen more than $5 billion of inflows into ETFs in a single month.

ASX ETFs holding international stocks took the lion's share of that inflow at $1.9 billion, with Aussies enthusiastically embracing ETFs as an easy way to tap into overseas markets. 

ASX ETFs make investing comparatively easier by offering baskets of stocks that can be purchased in a single online trade for one brokerage fee. 

Most ETFs follow an index, and there is an index for almost anything you want to invest in these days.

Some of the indices that ETFs track include benchmark indices, like the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in Australia and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) in the US.

There are also strategy-based indices like the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY), which is the largest dividend-strategy ETF on the Aussie market. 

There are also industry-based ETFs, like the Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) – which was the best performing ASX ETF last month, and sector-based indices like the VanEck Global Healthcare Leaders ETF (ASX: HLTH).

Then there's the thematic ETFs, such as the VanEck Global Defence ETF (ASX: DFND), which has shot the lights out, and the Video Games and Esports ETF (ASX: GAME), which is capitalising on the worldwide video gaming craze. 

You can get an idea of which ASX ETFs are the most popular with Aussie investors by their market capitalisation. 

Market cap is simply the unit price of the ETF multiplied by the number of units issued in the marketplace.

Here are the 8 most popular ASX ETFs today

The post 8 most popular ASX ETFs on the market today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.