What is the best performing ETF of 2026?

The best performing ETF of 2026 so far is United States Oil Fund (USO), up +94.7% year-to-date — a total return, so distributions are counted.

What are the top 10 performing ETFs of 2026?

The top 10 ETF performers of 2026 year-to-date: 1. USO +94.7%, 2. EWY +83.4%, 3. SOXX +72.8%, 4. EWT +64.1%, 5. SMH +55.6%, 6. VDE +44.4%, 7. XLE +44.3%, 8. DBC +39.8%, 9. XBI +36.0%, 10. CIBR +33.1%.

Why are leveraged ETFs not on this list?

Because they would always win it, and for a reason that says nothing about the market. A 3x fund is built to move three times its index each day, so in any rising year it tops a performance screen by construction — and daily resetting means its return over months is not three times the index's, it is a path-dependent number that is not comparable to any other row. Inverse funds are excluded for the same reason. If you want them, the screener will show them.

Does a great year make an ETF a good buy?

Not by itself. Much of what tops this list in any given year is a single sector or country having a good run — semiconductors, energy, one national market — and sector leadership rotates. The expense ratio and assets columns are here because they are the parts of the decision that do not change with the year: what the fund costs to hold, and whether it is large enough to trade cheaply.

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Top performing ETFs (2026)

The 50 ETFs below have a combined assets under management of $1.7T; the best performer of 2026 is USO (+94.7% YTD). The year's best ETF returns, leveraged and inverse funds excluded. Not investment advice.

End of day 2026-08-21 · 50 entries · digits update live during market hours

Combined assets

$1.7T

50 entries

Median YTD return

+23.1%

2026

Best of 2026

+94.7%

USO

Worst of 2026

+18.0%

EWI

Top 50 ETFs by 2026 return

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Columns (11 shown)

Price 1D 1W 1M 3M YTD 1Y 5Y 1Y chart Mkt cap / AUM Div yield Revenue (TTM)Net income (TTM)FCF (TTM)P/FCF Capex (TTM)Buybacks (TTM, net)Exp ratio P/E P/S P/B

# Company	PricePrice	1D1D	1M1M	3M3M	YTDYTD	1Y1Y	5Y5Y	CapMkt cap / AUM	ExpExp ratio	DivDiv yield
1USOUnited States Oil Fund	$134.67	+0.1%	-3.5%	-5.5%	+94.7%	+83.2%	+183.9%	—	0.86%	—
2EWYiShares MSCI South Korea ETF	$178.32	+0.09%	+2.6%	-4.3%	+83.4%	+155.5%	+129.3%	$24B	0.59%	+1.14%
3SOXXiShares Semiconductor ETF	$519.95	-0.46%	-5.7%	-0.9%	+72.8%	+114.3%	+256.6%	$21B	0.33%	+0.28%
4EWTiShares MSCI Taiwan ETF	$104.28	+0.2%	+4.4%	+10.4%	+64.1%	+85.6%	+144.6%	$11B	0.59%	+2.70%
5SMHVanEck Semiconductor ETF	$560.35	-0.41%	-3.4%	-1.3%	+55.6%	+94.5%	+340.1%	$41B	0.35%	+0.20%
6VDEVanguard Energy ETF	$179.53	-0.11%	+6.8%	+8.0%	+44.4%	+53.5%	+210.4%	$11B	0.09%	+2.24%
7XLEEnergy Select Sector SPDR Fund	$63.63	-0.2%	+7.1%	+8.4%	+44.3%	+52.9%	+208.9%	$44B	0.08%	+2.39%
8DBCInvesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund	$31.26	+0.48%	+3.1%	+1.8%	+39.8%	+46.9%	+91.0%	—	0.89%	+2.38%
9XBISPDR S&P Biotech ETF	$165.71	+1.4%	+8.9%	+24.9%	+36.0%	+86.6%	+33.8%	$7B	0.35%	+0.35%
10CIBRFirst Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF	$94.87	+1.5%	+8.2%	+15.6%	+33.1%	+32.7%	+98.4%	$9B	0.58%	+0.41%
11SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	$35.11	+0.79%	+7.0%	+9.7%	+30.1%	+32.3%	+60.8%	$95B	0.06%	+2.99%
12GREKGlobal X MSCI Greece ETF	$84.50	+1.4%	+12.2%	+19.2%	+29.1%	+32.9%	+256.0%	$256M	0.57%	+2.31%
13THDiShares MSCI Thailand ETF	$74.78	+1.7%	+3.3%	+5.7%	+28.3%	+35.0%	+21.2%	$264M	0.59%	+3.38%
14XLKTechnology Select Sector SPDR Fund	$183.32	+0.12%	+2.7%	+2.8%	+27.6%	+41.8%	+145.6%	$84B	0.08%	+0.43%
15VPLVanguard FTSE Pacific ETF	$115.13	+0.9%	+4.7%	+2.4%	+27.4%	+38.0%	+62.7%	$9B	0.08%	+2.63%
16EPOLiShares MSCI Poland ETF	$44.38	+0.48%	+8.8%	+12.4%	+27.1%	+36.8%	+138.4%	$643M	0.59%	+3.31%
17IBBiShares Biotechnology ETF	$213.64	+1.3%	+13.0%	+26.4%	+26.7%	+54.7%	+26.9%	$8B	0.44%	+0.19%
18EWOiShares MSCI Austria ETF	$43.80	+1.1%	+4.8%	+12.4%	+26.0%	+39.7%	+119.6%	$136M	0.49%	+1.92%
19VGTVanguard Information Technology ETF	$118.42	+0.05%	+3.5%	+3.6%	+26.0%	+39.1%	+135.3%	$172B	0.09%	+0.37%
20HDViShares Core High Dividend ETF	$29.80	+0.24%	+5.3%	+9.2%	+24.9%	+26.4%	+82.4%	$14B	0.08%	+3.31%
21EWSiShares MSCI Singapore ETF	$33.75	+0.39%	+7.3%	+16.4%	+24.9%	+27.2%	+81.8%	$783M	0.50%	+3.51%
22IWNiShares Russell 2000 Value ETF	$224.75	+0.42%	+1.9%	+7.5%	+24.8%	+37.4%	+53.2%	$12B	0.24%	+1.42%
23EEMiShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	$67.11	+0.74%	+3.9%	+2.2%	+23.3%	+37.5%	+45.9%	$30B	0.72%	+1.66%
24VONVVanguard Russell 1000 Value ETF	$112.84	+0.45%	+4.5%	+10.0%	+23.3%	+31.5%	+78.0%	$19B	0.07%	+1.52%
25IWDiShares Russell 1000 Value ETF	$257.30	+0.44%	+4.5%	+10.0%	+23.2%	+31.3%	+73.6%	$70B	0.18%	+1.36%
26IJRiShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF	$147.27	+0.61%	+1.6%	+8.4%	+23.1%	+30.6%	+43.6%	$92B	0.06%	+1.12%
27VIOOVanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF	$136.58	+0.67%	+1.7%	+8.5%	+23.1%	+30.8%	-29.1%	$4B	0.08%	+1.10%
28EWNiShares MSCI Netherlands ETF	$69.44	+0.67%	+3.5%	+4.9%	+23.0%	+35.9%	+53.0%	$550M	0.50%	+4.09%
29IWSiShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF	$171.95	+0.59%	+4.3%	+9.5%	+22.7%	+28.1%	+58.9%	$14B	0.23%	+1.26%
30VTWOVanguard Russell 2000 ETF	$121.25	+0.74%	+2.7%	+6.5%	+22.5%	+34.7%	+48.7%	$18B	0.07%	+1.08%
31IWMiShares Russell 2000 ETF	$299.94	+0.76%	+2.7%	+6.4%	+22.4%	+34.4%	+44.3%	$72B	0.19%	+0.89%
32MGVVanguard Mega Cap Value ETF	$168.22	+0.61%	+2.8%	+8.5%	+20.4%	+28.1%	+83.2%	$13B	0.07%	+1.81%
33IWOiShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF	$387.25	+1.2%	+3.5%	+5.3%	+20.1%	+31.6%	+34.6%	$12B	0.24%	+0.42%
34TURiShares MSCI Turkey ETF	$40.72	+1.0%	+3.2%	+12.3%	+19.8%	+17.3%	+100.2%	$218M	0.59%	+2.06%
35VTVVanguard Value ETF	$226.35	+0.52%	+3.0%	+8.8%	+19.8%	+27.2%	+79.4%	$226B	0.04%	+1.81%
36VYMIVanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF	$105.22	+0.99%	+4.2%	+6.4%	+19.3%	+29.4%	+91.4%	$20B	0.17%	+3.42%
37SPYDSPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF	$50.43	+0.23%	+2.7%	+8.0%	+19.1%	+19.5%	+55.1%	$7B	0.07%	+4.03%
38VBVanguard Small-Cap ETF	$304.86	+0.67%	+3.4%	+6.7%	+19.0%	+26.1%	+47.1%	$82B	0.03%	+1.18%
39XLBMaterials Select Sector SPDR Fund	$53.52	+2.1%	+6.4%	+7.4%	+19.0%	+20.9%	+36.7%	$7B	0.08%	+1.59%
40VBKVanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF	$358.56	+0.67%	+4.1%	+4.5%	+18.9%	+27.1%	+30.3%	$25B	0.07%	+0.43%
41VBRVanguard Small-Cap Value ETF	$249.21	+0.69%	+2.9%	+8.5%	+18.9%	+25.2%	+59.1%	$38B	0.07%	+1.73%
42VOEVanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF	$208.67	+0.36%	+3.1%	+8.8%	+18.8%	+24.5%	+61.0%	$24B	0.07%	+1.78%
43LITGlobal X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF	$76.61	+2.7%	+11.0%	-8.8%	+18.6%	+71.6%	-7.2%	$2B	0.75%	+0.66%
44EWPiShares MSCI Spain ETF	$62.89	+1%	+6.6%	+11.3%	+18.5%	+33.1%	+157.7%	$2B	0.50%	+2.65%
45EWJiShares MSCI Japan ETF	$95.17	+0.95%	+4.5%	+4.7%	+18.5%	+26.1%	+57.2%	$21B	0.49%	+3.74%
46IWRiShares Russell Midcap ETF	$113.44	+0.7%	+4.2%	+8.3%	+18.5%	+21.9%	+50.3%	$48B	0.18%	+1.12%
47VEAVanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	$73.43	+0.81%	+5.2%	+4.4%	+18.4%	+28.3%	+62.3%	$227B	0.03%	+2.47%
48DVYiShares Select Dividend ETF	$164.06	-0.18%	+2.0%	+7.3%	+18.1%	+21.9%	+64.4%	$23B	0.38%	+3.21%
49VXFVanguard Extended Market ETF	$245.52	+0.81%	+3.7%	+7.7%	+18.1%	+24.9%	+39.4%	$82B	0.05%	+1.00%
50EWIiShares MSCI Italy ETF	$62.90	+0.15%	+5.3%	+8.7%	+18.0%	+26.1%	+124.3%	$661M	0.50%	+2.98%

Methodology

The 50 best year-to-date total returns among the ETFs we track, measured over our own adjusted closes so distributions count. Leveraged and inverse funds are excluded: a 3x daily-reset fund tops any performance screen in a rising market by construction, and its compounding makes the number mean something different from every other row. Funds that listed this year have no prior-year close and are left out rather than shown on a partial year. Expense ratios are curated; net assets come from filings.

Returns are total returns (dividends reinvested), computed over adjusted closes we derive ourselves from SEC-filed dividends and splits. Fundamentals come from company filings via our EDGAR pipeline. Past performance does not predict future returns; this is not investment advice.

FAQ#

What is the best performing ETF of 2026?: The best performing ETF of 2026 so far is United States Oil Fund (USO), up +94.7% year-to-date — a total return, so distributions are counted.
What are the top 10 performing ETFs of 2026?: The top 10 ETF performers of 2026 year-to-date: 1. USO +94.7%, 2. EWY +83.4%, 3. SOXX +72.8%, 4. EWT +64.1%, 5. SMH +55.6%, 6. VDE +44.4%, 7. XLE +44.3%, 8. DBC +39.8%, 9. XBI +36.0%, 10. CIBR +33.1%.
Why are leveraged ETFs not on this list?: Because they would always win it, and for a reason that says nothing about the market. A 3x fund is built to move three times its index each day, so in any rising year it tops a performance screen by construction — and daily resetting means its return over months is not three times the index's, it is a path-dependent number that is not comparable to any other row. Inverse funds are excluded for the same reason. If you want them, the screener will show them.
Does a great year make an ETF a good buy?: Not by itself. Much of what tops this list in any given year is a single sector or country having a good run — semiconductors, energy, one national market — and sector leadership rotates. The expense ratio and assets columns are here because they are the parts of the decision that do not change with the year: what the fund costs to hold, and whether it is large enough to trade cheaply.