My Favourite ETFs for Total Market Exposure in 2025

One of my favourite ways to build a diversified, long-term investment portfolio is through broad market ETFs.

These funds give exposure to entire economies or regions — often at a fraction of the cost of actively managed funds. Whether you’re looking for emerging market growth, global diversification, Canadian stability, or U.S. tech dominance, here are the ETFs I like best in each category.

Emerging Markets ETFs

1. iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG)

• Issuer: BlackRock / iShares

• Expense Ratio: 0.09%

• AUM: ~$80B+

• Index: MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index

• Top Countries: China, India, Taiwan, Brazil, South Korea

• Top Holdings: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Tencent Holdings, Samsung Electronics

Why I like it:

Very low cost

Broad exposure (large + mid + small caps)

Strong liquidity & tracking accuracy

Best for: Long-term investors who want broad, low-cost EM exposure in a single ETF.

2. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO)

• Issuer: The Vanguard Group

• Expense Ratio: 0.08% (lowest in the group 💰)

• AUM: ~$70B+

• Index: FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index

• Top Countries: China, India, Taiwan, Brazil

Why I like it:

Lower fee than IEMG

Excellent diversification

Massive AUM and liquidity

Best for: Passive investors who prioritize lowest cost and broad coverage.

Global Market Exposure: U.K. & Japan

1. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWU)

• Issuer: BlackRock / iShares

• Expense Ratio: 0.50%

• AUM: ~$3B+

• Index: MSCI United Kingdom Index

• Top Holdings: Shell plc, AstraZeneca, HSBC Holdings, Unilever

Oldest and most liquid U.K. ETF for U.S.-based investors

Simple, direct exposure to London-listed companies

2. iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ)

• Issuer: iShares

• Expense Ratio: 0.50%

• AUM: ~$11B+

• Index: MSCI Japan Index

• Top Holdings: Toyota Motor Corporation, Sony Group Corporation, Keyence Corporation, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group

Oldest and most liquid Japan ETF

Broad, large- and mid-cap exposure to the Tokyo Stock Exchange

Canadian Market ETFs

1. BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (ZCN)

• Issuer: Bank of Montreal

• MER: 0.06%

• AUM: ~$7B+

• Index: S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index (~230 companies)

Broad market exposure to large, mid, and small caps

Very low fee and strong liquidity

My go-to for total Canadian market coverage

2. Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF (VCN)

• Issuer: The Vanguard Group (Canada)

• MER: 0.05%

• AUM: ~$5B+

• Index: FTSE Canada All Cap Domestic Index (~180 companies)

Covers large, mid, and small caps

Slightly lower MER than ZCN

Excellent tracking accuracy

Best for: Cost-sensitive, long-term investors who prefer Vanguard’s structure.

3. BMO Canadian High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWC)

• Issuer: BMO

• MER: 0.72%

• AUM: ~$1.5B+

• Top sectors: Financials 🏦, Energy ⛽, Utilities ⚡, Telecom 📡

• Top Holdings: Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Enbridge Inc., BCE Inc., Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

Why I include ZWC:

• High monthly income (6–8%)

• Covered call strategy cushions volatility

• Diversified across high-yield Canadian sectors

U.S. Market ETFs

1. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

• Issuer: Vanguard

• MER: 0.03%

• AUM: $1T+

Ultra-low cost

Excellent liquidity

Pure S&P 500 exposure — a foundational ETF for many investors.

2. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)

• Issuer: State Street Global Advisors / SPDR

• MER: 0.0945%

• AUM: ~$500B

The first ETF ever launched (1993)

Extremely liquid — ideal for traders and institutions.

3. Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)

• Issuer: Invesco Ltd.

• MER: 0.20%

• AUM: ~$250B

• Top Holdings: Apple Inc., Microsoft, NVIDIA Corporation, Amazon.com

Tech and growth heavy

Historically strong performance

4. Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG)

• Issuer: Vanguard

• 10-Year Annualized Return: ~14–16%

• Focus: Large-cap U.S. growth stocks

Lower volatility than QQQ but still growth-focused

Great blend of stability and upside.

Final Thoughts

If I had to build a globally diversified, simple ETF portfolio, these would be my building blocks:

• 🌏 Emerging markets: IEMG or VWO

• 🇬🇧🇯🇵 Global developed ex-U.S.: EWU (U.K.) + EWJ (Japan)

• 🇨🇦 Home market exposure: ZCN or VCN (+ ZWC for income)

• 🇺🇸 U.S. exposure: VOO for core, QQQ or VUG for growth

This combination gives exposure to all major regions — while keeping costs low and diversification high. I personally like pairing broad market ETFs with a few growth-tilted ETFs like QQQ for long-term compounding.

If you invested equally across all 11 ETFs, your estimated average annualized return over the past decade would be roughly 📈 8.1% per year.

Why this is realistic:

• Higher returns from U.S. growth ETFs like Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) offset slower growth in emerging markets (IEMG, VWO) and income-focused ETFs like BMO Canadian High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWC).

• The mix gives both growth and diversification across regions (U.S., Canada, U.K., Japan, EM).

Actual future returns may differ depending on market cycles — but this gives a solid historical benchmark.

Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making investment decisions.