History tells us that the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) returns an average of 9-10% per annum. 

That's nothing to complain about. 

However, it's important to understand that returns aren't linear. Rather, it isn't as simple as 9% every year. 

This year, statistically, has been a softer one for the ASX 200. 

At the time of writing, with a couple weeks left to go in the year, Australia's benchmark index has risen roughly 4.7%. 

This is well below some other markets around the world. 

So for investors looking to diversify beyond the Australian market, here is how a hypothetical investment in some overseas markets would have performed in 2025. 

Betashares Capital Ltd – Asia Technology Tigers Etf (ASX: ASIA)

This ASX ETF aims to track the performance of an index (before fees and expenses) comprising the 50 largest technology and online retail stocks in Asia (ex-Japan). 

This includes global names like Samsung Electronics and Alibaba. 

It also offers heavy exposure to the growing semiconductor industry fuelling the AI boom.

It's no surprise that exposure has helped this fund grow significantly in 2025. 

Since the start of the year, it is up 37.82%. 

That means a $10,000 investment at the start of the year would today be worth $13,782 today. 

Global X Euro Stoxx 50 ETF (ASX: ESTX)

As the name suggests, this ASX ETF invests in 50 of the largest companies across the eurozone.

This includes global blue-chips like Dutch multinational corporation and semiconductor company ASML Holding N.V. (ENXTAM: ASML) and German software company SAP (ETR: SAP). 

Some of the best performing markets in 2025 have been in Europe. 

By country, the fund has its largest weighting towards: 

• France 33.88%
• Germany 29.98%
• Netherlands 14.93%

This ASX ETF has risen 24.6%, which means an investment of $10,000 at the start of the year would already be worth $12,460. 

Betashares FTSE100 ETF (ASX: F100)

Just across the pond lives the London Stock Exchange. 

This ASX ETF tracks the performance of the FTSE 100 Index (before fees and expenses), which provides exposure to the largest 100 companies by market capitalisation traded on the London Stock Exchange.

This fund includes U.K based global leaders such as HBSC, Diageo and Unilever.

It has risen an impressive 21.10% this year. 

That would have brought an investment of $10,000 in January to a healthy $12,110 right now. 

The post Guess how much $10,000 invested a year ago in these global ASX ETFs is worth today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But a new report from Canaccord Genuity Australia has reinforced the case for targeting stocks outside the Australian and US markets. 

Tony Brennan, Chief Investment Strategist, said until this year, being concentrated in US equities within international portfolios produced better returns.

But this year, the US has underperformed the rest of the world, illustrating the benefits of being more diversified.

US stocks have provided prolonged success

In the report from Canaccord Genuity Australia, the firm reinforced the success investors have had by targeting US stocks, particularly technology shares.

Brennan said this has been supported by a generally solid economy and boosted by a large corporate tax cut during the first Trump Administration. 

In the last decade, Europe had to contend with fiscal restraint after its sovereign debt crisis in 2012, the rupture of Brexit in 2016, and the war in Ukraine since 2022. 

Changing tides

Although the US and the rest of the world have faced different challenges over the past decade, this year both sides were hit by the same shock: the new US tariffs and resulting trade war.

Despite initial fears, after nine months it's clear that economic damage from tariffs has been less severe than anticipated. Additionally, growth across major economies has held up better than expected.

The report also indicated that a key change this year is that the gap between US economic growth and growth in other major regions has narrowed.

International stock picks

The report highlighted 9 international stocks that the firm believes offer exposure to similar structural growth themes as US peers, while providing valuation alternatives. 

After their remarkable success, many of the large US companies, particularly the large US tech stocks, are quite well known and well held by investors. So, in this report we highlight some major companies in other markets that could provide desired diversification for Australian investors.

The 9 international stocks are: 

• HSBC Holdings PLC (UK)
• Airbus SE (France)
• ASML Holding NV (Netherlands)
• L'Oreal SA (France)
• Roche Holding AG Genussscheine (Switzerland) 
• SAP SE (Germany)
• Siemens AG (Germany)
• Sony Group Corp (Japan)
• Tencent Holdings Ltd (Hong Kong). 

The report said Airbus, ASML, SAP, and Siemens deliver access to industrial automation, semiconductor infrastructure, and aerospace duopolies with strong pricing power. 

L'Oréal and Roche represent defensive quality with global market leadership in beauty and healthcare, delivering stable earnings with reduced cyclicality. 

Sony and Tencent provide exposure to Asian technology platforms at more attractive valuations than US counterparts.

HSBC offers global banking exposure at modest valuations relative to US and Australian banking peers.

How to gain exposure 

Investors looking to gain exposure to these international stocks can target each one individually. 

However, there are also ASX ETFs that include many of these companies. 

For example, the Vanguard FTSE Europe Shares ETF (ASX: VEQ) includes 7 of these companies that are based in Europe/UK.

This is the same for the iShares Europe ETF (ASX: IEU). 

Both funds are up 20% or more in 2025. 

The post Expert says target these 9 international stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A 20-year investing horizon gives compounding the freedom to work its magic, smoothing out the bumps and capturing the long-run performance of global markets.

The good news for Australian investors is that the ASX offers world-class ETFs that provide instant diversification across many of the most innovative stocks and strongest economies on the planet.

If you're looking to set up a portfolio you won't need to tinker with for a very long time, the following three ASX ETFs are hard to beat.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

When it comes to long-term wealth creation, it is hard to look beyond the US market.

The iShares S&P 500 ETF tracks the S&P 500 index, giving investors a slice of America's 500 largest stocks. These are the businesses driving innovation in technology, healthcare, consumer spending, and industrials.

This includes giants such as Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), and Walmart (NYSE: WMT). These companies have shaped global consumer behaviour, created new industries, and consistently reinvested into product development and growth. For a 20-year investment horizon, it is arguably a must-have building block.

Betashares India Quality ETF (ASX: IIND)

India is increasingly being viewed as one of the world's most exciting long-term economic growth stories. With a young population, a rapidly expanding middle class, modernising infrastructure, and booming digital adoption, the country is expected to be one of the fastest-growing major economies for decades.

The Betashares India Quality ETF focuses specifically on high-quality Indian companies with strong fundamentals. Its portfolio includes leading names such as Infosys (NYSE: INFY), Tata Consultancy Services (NSEI: TCS), and HDFC Bank (NSEI: HDFCBANK). These are businesses benefitting from both domestic expansion and the global outsourcing boom.

India is still early in its economic development cycle compared to Western markets, meaning its long-term runway could be significantly larger. For Australian investors wanting emerging-market growth without taking on excessive risk, this fund offers a blend of quality, diversification, and future upside. It was recently named as one to consider buying by analysts at Betashares.

Betashares Global Shares Ex-US ETF (ASX: EXUS)

If you have your US exposure sorted, then it could be worth looking at the new Betashares Global Shares Ex-US ETF.

This ASX ETF gives investors exposure to more than 900 large and mid-cap stocks across 22 developed markets outside the US and Australia.

Its top holdings include ASML (NASDAQ: ASML), Roche (SWX: ROG), AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN), Nestlé (SWX: NESN), and SAP (ETR: SAP). These are global leaders in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and enterprise software.

This fund balances a long-term portfolio by reducing concentration in American technology stocks and increasing exposure to financials, industrials, healthcare, and consumer defensives. It was also recently named as one to consider buying by the fund manager.

The post The best ASX ETFs to buy and hold for 20 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

For that kind of approach, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are ideal.

But which ones? Here are three of the best ASX ETFs for long-term investors who want to keep things simple.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF provides exposure to more than 1,200 stocks from developed markets outside Australia. That means instant diversification across regions like the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

Its holdings include big names such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and SAP SE (ETR: SAP), giving investors access to world-leading stocks across technology, consumer staples, and entertainment. For Australians who already have plenty of exposure to local banks and miners, the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF is a great way to spread risk globally with a single click of the button.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT)

Another ASX ETF to consider is the Betashares Australian Quality ETF. It is a smart way to focus your local investments on the highest-quality stocks. The Betashares Australian Quality ETF tracks an index of around 40 ASX shares selected for high profitability, strong balance sheets, and stable earnings.

Holdings include names like CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), and Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH). These shares are leaders in their fields and have demonstrated the ability to grow consistently. For investors who only want to check in once a year, owning a curated basket of quality Aussie shares removes a lot of the guesswork. It was recently named as one to buy by the team at Betashares.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

Finally, the iShares S&P 500 ETF is an obvious choice. It gives investors exposure to the 500 largest stocks listed in the U.S. This makes it one of the simplest ways to invest in the world's biggest and most dynamic market.

With names like Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) in the mix, the iShares S&P 500 ETF captures some of the biggest drivers of global innovation. Over the long term, the S&P 500 has been one of the most consistent wealth creators in history, making this ETF a cornerstone for any long-term portfolio.

The post The best ASX ETFs to buy if you only want to invest once a year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.