Top 9 ETFs in Australia to watch in 2026

These nine ASX-listed funds aim to track international equity indices, covering approaches from broad U.S. market exposure to thematic areas like cybersecurity and battery technology. Fees in this list run from 0.04% for iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF ($IVV) to 0.69% – and that spread broadly reflects the divide between plain index trackers and more narrowly focused thematic strategies.

How we built this list: We selected these funds based on their industry or investment category and ordered them by assets under management. Prices are updated daily, and the list and supporting content are reviewed roughly every quarter. All data is sourced from Stake. This list isn't a recommendation and isn't ordered by suitability.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Source: Stake market data. Figures in A$. Data updated as of 10 August 2026.

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1. iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF ($IVV)

iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF (IVV) share price over the last year: started at A$65.30, ended at A$73.11, a change of +12.0%. Range over the period: high A$73.33, low A$61.76. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $73.11 · Daily: 0.2% · AUM: $14.74B · MER: 0.04%

iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF ($IVV) aims to track the S&P 500 Net TR Index, which covers 500 large companies listed in the U.S. The index is weighted by market capitalisation, so the portfolio's heaviest positions are the companies with the biggest market values. The 'Net TR' label means the index treats dividends as reinvested after the deduction of withholding tax, rather than paid out as distributions.

The fund's stated objective is to provide the performance of the index before fees and expenses. There's no active stock picking involved – the portfolio holds what the index holds, and adjusts as the index's composition changes.

2. Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF ($NDQ)

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (NDQ) share price over the last year: started at A$53.35, ended at A$61.31, a change of +14.9%. Range over the period: high A$64.12, low A$49.71. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $61.31 · Daily: 0.8% · AUM: $9.08B · MER: 0.48%

The Nasdaq 100 Index covers 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, selected by market capitalisation. Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF ($NDQ) is designed to follow that index, drawing from both U.S.-listed and internationally headquartered companies.

Industries in the index include computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail and wholesale trade, and biotechnology. Financial companies are excluded from the index by design – banks, insurers and investment firms don't appear in $NDQ's holdings. Investment companies are excluded too, keeping the portfolio focused on operating businesses outside the financial sector.

3. VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF ($QUAL)

VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (QUAL) share price over the last year: started at A$58.16, ended at A$63.37, a change of +9.0%. Range over the period: high A$64.76, low A$56.41. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $63.37 · Daily: 0.1% · AUM: $8.85B · MER: 0.40%

VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF ($QUAL) draws from the MSCI World ex Australia Index, but doesn't simply hold everything in it. Instead, the fund aims to track a filtered version of that index, selecting companies that score highly on three measures: return on equity, earnings variability and debt-to-equity ratio.

The idea is to concentrate on companies the index methodology considers financially sound, rather than weighting purely by size. That screening process means $QUAL holds a narrower slice of international equities than a plain world index fund would.

4. iShares Global 100 AUD ETF ($IOO)

iShares Global 100 AUD ETF (IOO) share price over the last year: started at A$172.00, ended at A$203.40, a change of +18.3%. Range over the period: high A$203.59, low A$168.55. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $203.40 · Daily: 0.1% · AUM: $6.00B · MER: 0.40%

iShares Global 100 AUD ETF ($IOO) aims to track the S&P Global 100 Net Total Return Index, which covers 100 of the world's largest multinational companies. The index pulls from across sectors and geographies, concentrating on firms with significant international operations rather than those dominant in just one country.

Because the index holds only 100 names, $IOO is more concentrated than a broad global market fund. That means each company's weight in the portfolio carries more influence over overall performance than it would in a wider index.

5. BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF ($ETHI)

BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ETHI) share price over the last year: started at A$15.84, ended at A$17.26, a change of +9.0%. Range over the period: high A$17.30, low A$14.41. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $17.26 · Daily: 0.3% · AUM: $3.88B · MER: 0.59%

The Nasdaq Future Global Sustainability Leaders Index sits at the heart of BetaShares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF ($ETHI), which is designed to track its performance. That index holds 200 large global stocks selected for their relative carbon efficiency – the ones it identifies as climate change leaders. It also screens out companies materially engaged in activities deemed inconsistent with responsible investment considerations, so the portfolio is shaped by both what qualifies and what doesn't.

6. Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF ($HACK)

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (HACK) share price over the last year: started at A$14.50, ended at A$17.73, a change of +22.3%. Range over the period: high A$17.80, low A$11.33. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $17.73 · Daily: 0.0% · AUM: $1.63B · MER: 0.67%

The Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index underpins Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF ($HACK), covering companies engaged in the cybersecurity segment of the technology and industrial sectors. Those companies are primarily involved in building, implementing and managing security protocols for private and public networks, computers and mobile devices. The index is designed to capture businesses whose core work centres on protecting data integrity and network operations.

Because $HACK concentrates on a single thematic corner of the technology and industrial sectors, its performance is closely tied to that segment rather than any broader market.

7. VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat AUD ETF ($MOAT)

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat AUD ETF (MOAT) share price over the last year: started at A$122.43, ended at A$120.80, a change of −1.3%. Range over the period: high A$135.49, low A$113.58. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $120.80 · Daily: 0.8% · AUM: $904.2M · MER: 0.49%

Morningstar's equity research describes companies with durable competitive advantages – ones it believes can generate excess returns for 20 years or more – as having a 'wide moat'. The VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat AUD ETF ($MOAT) is designed to track an index of US companies that clear that standard. From that pool, Morningstar selects the companies it considers most attractively priced at each rebalance, adding a valuation layer to the competitive-advantage screen.

8. Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF ($ACDC)

Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ACDC) share price over the last year: started at A$103.40, ended at A$130.45, a change of +26.2%. Range over the period: high A$182.70, low A$102.76. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $130.45 · Daily: 2.1% · AUM: $623.0M · MER: 0.69%

Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF ($ACDC) is designed to track the Solactive Battery Value-Chain Index, which covers two distinct types of companies. One group develops and produces battery technology itself; the other mines the metals that go into making batteries in the first place.

Together, these companies form what the index describes as the battery value chain – from raw material extraction through to the energy storage products built from those materials. The fund holds $623.0M in assets, and its MER sits at 0.69%. That fee reflects the more targeted nature of the strategy compared to a broad market tracker.

9. Global X Morningstar Global Technology ETF ($TECH)

Global X Morningstar Global Technology ETF (TECH) share price over the last year: started at A$105.37, ended at A$120.35, a change of +14.2%. Range over the period: high A$123.80, low A$81.49. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $120.35 · Daily: 0.9% · AUM: $342.3M · MER: 0.45%

Global X Morningstar Global Technology ETF ($TECH) is built around a specific idea: that not all technology companies are worth owning at any price. The fund aims to track the Morningstar Developed Markets Technology Moat Focus Index, which selects technology companies from global developed markets that hold Morningstar Economic Moat Ratings of either 'wide' or 'narrow' – Morningstar's own signal that a company has durable competitive advantages over its peers.

The index then applies a second filter, targeting those companies when they're trading at low price-to-fair-value ratios according to Morningstar's own valuations. That combination – quality screen plus valuation screen – means the index isn't simply chasing the biggest names in tech. It's designed to concentrate on companies Morningstar rates as competitively entrenched and relatively attractively priced at the time of selection.

Because the universe is global developed markets, the fund can hold technology companies across multiple countries, not just U.S.-listed names.

Common questions

How do I invest in ETFs in Australia?

All nine funds in this list trade on the ASX, so you buy them through a share trading platform the same way you'd buy an individual Australian stock. Search the ticker, place an order during market hours, and units settle in your brokerage account. Some platforms register holdings directly in your name through CHESS (Clearing House Electronic Subregister System); others hold them on your behalf – it's worth checking how your platform handles this before you start.

What are the key risks of these international ETFs?

Every fund in this list holds overseas assets, so movements in the Australian dollar against the currencies of the underlying holdings affect returns in AUD terms. Currency effect can run in both directions. Some issuers offer currency-hedged versions of similar funds, and a fund's PDS states whether it hedges. Thematic funds like $HACK and $ACDC also concentrate in a single sector, which amplifies the impact when that sector weakens. Funds that apply quality or moat screens can behave differently from broad market indexes too, since their selection criteria tilt the portfolio toward particular industries rather than tracking the full market.

What's the difference between a broad-market ETF and a thematic one?

Broad-market funds like $IVV and $IOO aim to track large portions of the global equity market, spreading exposure across many industries. Thematic funds – $HACK for cybersecurity companies and $ACDC for battery technology and related miners – concentrate on one corner of the market, so their returns are far more tied to conditions in that specific area. The gap between the two approaches can be substantial when one sector moves sharply while others don't.

What do quality and moat screens actually do?

Rather than weighting holdings by market size, $QUAL, $MOAT and $TECH each apply a filter to select companies with specific characteristics. $QUAL screens on return on equity, earnings variability and debt-to-equity ratios. $MOAT and $TECH draw on Morningstar's economic moat ratings – an assessment of competitive staying power – and also filter for companies Morningstar considers attractively priced relative to their estimated fair value. The result is a more concentrated, differently shaped portfolio than a plain index fund, driven by those criteria rather than market capitalisation.

Disclaimer

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. When you invest, your capital is at risk. You should consider your own investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs before making an investment decision. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may receive back less than your original investment. As always, do your own research and consider seeking appropriate financial advice before investing.

This is not personal financial advice nor a recommendation to invest in the securities listed. Any advice provided by Stake is of general nature only and does not take into account your specific circumstances. Trading and volume data from the Stake investing platform is for reference purposes only, the investment choices of others may not be appropriate for your needs and is not a reliable indicator of performance.

Please refer to hellostake.com/pricing for the fees that apply. When you trade securities priced in another currency, currency conversion fees may apply and movements in the exchange rate may affect your returns.

Stake Desk

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This article combines AI and human review from our analysts to bring you accurate, informative investing content at speed. For questions or suggestions, contact stakedesk@stake.com.au.