3 Top US ETFs for 2026 and Beyond

Brendan McCann: Information pelts investors like a never-ending storm. It’s often tempting to switch things up. However, sticking to a long-term plan tends to be the better option. The following three ETFs aren’t chasing trends. Rather, they offer investors a place to park their hard-earned cash for the long run. Regardless of your investing experience, you’ve likely heard this line: Buy a low-cost index fund. Despite how boring that advice is, it’s an excellent choice for US stocks. Morningstar puts a theory to the test every year with the Active/Passive Barometer. In our latest version, we found that less than 5% of active large-blend funds survived and outperformed their passive peers over the past 15 years. A great way to get passive exposure to the US stock market is through the S&P 500 index, and there are several ETFs that track it.

3 Top US ETFs for 2026 and Beyond

1. State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF SPYM
2. Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF FIGB
3. IShares LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF ITDJ

The cheapest one is State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF, ticker SPYM. It charges just 2 basis points. Consequently, it performed the best over the past 10 years compared to the other S&P 500 ETFs. It’s a stellar choice for investors seeking long-term US stock exposure. Active stock ETFs may struggle to beat their passive peers, but the same isn’t true for bonds. Bonds lack the benefits that come with highly traded markets like liquidity, transparency, and accessibility. That makes indexing more challenging and gives active bond managers more of an edge.

Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF, ticker FIGB, is a great intermediate core bond choice. It’s actively managed by Fidelity’s core/core-plus team. They have the flexibility to rotate across different bond types like Treasuries, investment-grade corporates, and mortgage-backed securities. They can even shift into small doses of high-yield and emerging-markets debt. That flexibility is an advantage over a passive fund. The ETF charges 36 basis points—on the lower end of its category. It has a short yet strong track record. Its performance ranks in the top quartile of its peers since its March 2021 inception through April. A skilled team and a resilient portfolio make it a strong bond choice.

Investors wanting a hands-off approach need not worry. IShares offers target-date ETFs for a range of retirement dates. Investors should pick the version that aligns with their planned retirement year. I’ll focus on iShare’s LifePath Target Date 2070 ETF, ticker ITDJ. Like its name suggests, the ETF is for investors planning to start withdrawals around 2070. It starts in an aggressive stance. Today, it holds 99% of its portfolio in stocks and only 1% in bonds. In 2040, the ETF starts shifting more of its portfolio into bonds. It does this gradually, eventually reaching a 60% bond and 40% stock portfolio in 2070. That gives investors increasing stability when it’s most needed. These target-date ETFs build their portfolios with a variety of iShares products. Each underlying ETF charges low fees, keeping the overall cost of these portfolios under 13 basis points. The portfolios are mainly invested in US stocks and bonds, but they also include international investments, which adds another layer of diversification. They’re a great choice for investors wanting to reduce risk as retirement nears, while keeping things simple.

Watch 3 Great International Dividend ETFs for 2026 from Brendan McCann.