My Favorite ETFs for Total Market Exposure in 2026

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

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

🌏 Emerging Markets ETFs

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG)

• Issuer: BlackRock / iShares

• Expense ratio: 0.09%

• Assets under management: ~$80B+

• Index: MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index

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

• Top holdings: TSMC, Tencent, Samsung

Why I like it

• Very low cost

• Broad exposure (large, mid, and small caps)

• Strong liquidity and tracking

Best for: Long-term investors who want broad, low-cost emerging market exposure in one ETF.

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO)

• Issuer: Vanguard

• Expense ratio: 0.08% (lowest in the group)

• Assets under management: ~$70B+

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

• Top countries: China, India, Taiwan, Brazil

Why I like it

• Slightly lower fee than IEMG

• Excellent diversification

• Massive scale and liquidity

Best for: Passive investors who prioritize the lowest possible cost.

🌍 Global Market Exposure (U.K. & Japan)

iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWU)

• Issuer: BlackRock / iShares

• Expense ratio: 0.50%

• Assets under management: ~$3B+

• Index: MSCI United Kingdom Index

• Top holdings: Shell, AstraZeneca, HSBC, Unilever

Why it stands out

• Oldest and most liquid U.K. ETF

• Simple exposure to London-listed companies

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ)

• Issuer: iShares

• Expense ratio: 0.50%

• Assets under management: ~$11B+

• Index: MSCI Japan Index

• Top holdings: Toyota, Sony, Keyence, Mitsubishi UFJ

Why it stands out

• Oldest and most liquid Japan ETF

• Broad large- and mid-cap exposure

Canadian Market ETFs

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

• Issuer: Bank of Montreal

• MER: 0.06%

• Assets under management: ~$7B+

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

Why I like it

• Broad Canadian market exposure

• Very low fee

• My go-to core Canada ETF

Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF (VCN)

• Issuer: Vanguard Canada

• MER: 0.05%

• Assets under management: ~$5B+

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

Why I like it

• Slightly lower MER than ZCN

• Excellent tracking accuracy

Best for: Cost-sensitive, long-term investors.

BMO Canadian High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWC)

• Issuer: BMO

• MER: 0.72%

• Assets under management: ~$1.5B+

• Top sectors: Financials, Energy, Utilities, Telecom

• Top holdings: RBC, TD, Enbridge, BCE, CIBC

Why I include it

• High monthly income (roughly 6–8%)

• Covered call strategy helps reduce volatility

• Diversified exposure to high-yield Canadian sectors

U.S. Market ETFs

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

• Issuer: Vanguard

• MER: 0.03%

• Assets under management: $1T+

Why it’s a core holding

• Ultra-low cost

• Excellent liquidity

• Pure S&P 500 exposure

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)

• Issuer: State Street / SPDR

• MER: 0.0945%

• Assets under management: ~$500B

Why it’s unique

• First ETF ever launched (1993)

• Extremely liquid—favoured by traders

Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)

• Issuer: Invesco

• MER: 0.20%

• Assets under management: ~$250B

• Top holdings: Apple, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Amazon

Why I like it

• Heavy tilt toward tech and growth

• Historically strong long-term returns

Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG)

• Issuer: Vanguard

• Focus: Large-cap U.S. growth stocks

• 10-year annualized return: ~14–16%

Why it works

• Growth exposure with less volatility than QQQ

• Good balance of stability and upside

Putting it all together

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

• 🌏 Emerging markets: IEMG or VWO

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

• 🇨🇦 Canada: ZCN or VCN (add ZWC for income)

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

This mix provides 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 for long-term compounding.

Expected returns (context, not a promise)

If you invested equally across all 11 ETFs listed, the historical blended return over the past decade would be roughly ~8.1% per year.

That’s realistic because:

• Higher-growth U.S. ETFs (QQQ, VUG) offset slower segments like emerging markets and income ETFs

• The portfolio is diversified across regions and sectors

Future returns will vary—but this provides a solid historical benchmark.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research or consult a qualified professional before making investment decisions.