As we look forward to the remainder of 2026, assessing the market atmosphere and deciding learn how to place your portfolio isn’t as simple because it has been in some earlier years. That’s why a number of the finest investments to purchase in 2026 could be high-quality and dependable ETFs.
There’s nonetheless loads of uncertainty hanging over markets, from geopolitical tensions which have already proven they’ll flare up rapidly, to ongoing questions round rates of interest and the way lengthy borrowing prices will keep the place they’re.
On the similar time, markets aren’t precisely low cost throughout the board both. Plenty of shares have already priced in an honest quantity of optimism, which makes it tougher to simply blindly purchase development and hope every part works out.
That’s why 2026 seems like a 12 months the place stability issues greater than ever. Traders need publicity to high-quality companies and long-term development, however many traders additionally need earnings, stability, and a few draw back safety if markets keep uneven or transfer sideways.
Because of this high-quality ETFs are a few of my favorite picks for 2026. As an alternative of attempting to choose the right inventory or guess which sector will outperform subsequent, ETFs allow you to achieve publicity to the market whereas providing on the spot diversification that can assist you decrease your danger.
So, with that in thoughts, two of the very best ETFs you should purchase in 2026 and plan to carry for years are the iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF (TSX:XIU) and the BMO Canadian Excessive Dividend Lined Name ETF (TSX:ZWC).
Why the XIU is a core ETF for 2026
With a lot uncertainty persisting within the inventory market, probably the greatest methods to place your hard-earned capital to work is in an ETF that provides publicity to a number of the strongest and most established companies in Canada, which is why the XIU is a high choose.
The XIU ETF tracks the S&P/TSX 60 Index, which implies you’re getting publicity to Canada’s largest and most dominant firms throughout sectors like financials, power, telecom, and industrials.
Due to this fact, if uncertainty persists, you personal an ETF providing publicity to a number of the most secure and most dependable firms within the TSX since these firms have a tendency to carry up higher throughout financial slowdowns, and lots of of them pay dependable dividends that assist assist returns even when markets aren’t ripping larger.
On the similar time, if the economic system begins to enhance and volatility within the inventory market subsides, you continue to have publicity to high-quality firms that may proceed to develop constantly for years to come back.
So, when you’re on the lookout for a dependable ETF to purchase in 2026 and maintain for years to come back, the XIU is undoubtedly a best choice and provides traders a web yield of roughly 2.2%.
Why the ZWC ETF is good in an unsure atmosphere
Whereas the XIU is all about broad publicity and long-term development, the ZWC is a better option for traders trying to increase their passive earnings.
It does that, at the beginning, by specializing in constructing a portfolio of high-quality Canadian dividend shares. Nonetheless, it doesn’t simply cease there.
As well as, it additionally makes use of a coated name technique to spice up earnings. By writing coated calls on a portion of its holdings, the ETF generates further earnings that will get paid out to traders, leading to a a lot larger yield than conventional fairness ETFs.
The trade-off is that some capital good points potential is capped. Nonetheless, that’s not essentially a nasty factor, particularly if markets transfer sideways, grind larger slowly, or battle to interrupt out meaningfully in 2026. In actual fact, proper now the ETF provides traders a web ahead yield of roughly 5.1%.
So, when you’re trying to increase your passive earnings in 2026 and desire a dependable ETF you should purchase and maintain with confidence, the ZWC is definitely one of many high picks for traders as we speak.
