Welcome to the first-ever InvestSMART ETF Awards.
ETFs have become a core part of how many Australians invest, with the local ETF market now exceeding $325 billion. There’s also more choice than ever.
We launched the InvestSMART ETF Awards to recognise ETFs that stood out, based on a combination of InvestSMART star ratings and performance.
The awards span Australian and global shares, fixed income, commodities, high-yield share and ethical ETFs, along with a major award recognising the Best ETF Provider 2026.
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Winners at a glance
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Major award
Category winners
Best Australian Share ETF
Betashares FTSE RAFI Australia 200 ETF
Best Global Share ETF
Global X EURO STOXX 50 ETF
Best Australian Fixed-Income ETF
Betashares Interest Rate Hedged Australian Grade Corporate Bond ETF
Best Australian High-Yield Share ETF
iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF
Best Commodity ETF
Global X Physical Silver
Best Australian Ethical Share ETF
iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF
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How the awards work
The InvestSMART ETF Awards highlight ETFs that stood out based on quality and performance.
We start by filtering for quality, only including ETFs with a 4 or 5 InvestSMART star rating. From there, ETFs are ranked by one-year performance to 31 December 2025 within each category.
The Best ETF Provider award is determined using a points-based system based on top-three finishes across award categories.
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The winners and finalists
Take a closer look at the full results across each category
Best ETF Provider 2026
Winner: Betashares
Betashares has taken out the top award of Best ETF Provider in our inaugural awards, with top-three finishes in four of the six categories considered.
Strong results across several categories helped Betashares stand out, reflecting its breadth across the ETF market rather than in just one area.
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Category
Position
Best Australian Fixed-Income ETF
1
Best Australian Share ETF
1 & 3
Best Commodity ETF
2
Best Global Share ETF
2
Positions show where the provider finished within the top three.
Best Australian Share ETFs
Winner: Betashares FTSE RAFI Australia 200 ETF (ASX: QOZ)
The Betashares FTSE RAFI Australia 200 ETF (ASX: QOZ) has been named Best Australian Share ETF, finishing first among Australian equity ETFs considered in this category.
QOZ takes a different approach to many index ETFs. Instead of weighting companies by market capitalisation, it uses fundamental indexing, weighting companies by accounting values such as sales and cash flow.
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Best Global Share ETFs
Winner: Global X EURO STOXX 50 ETF (ASX: ESTX)
The Best Global Share ETF award went to the Global X EURO STOXX 50 ETF (ASX: ESTX). Notably, the top three ETFs in the category all focused on European share markets.
ESTX provides exposure to 50 of the largest listed companies across the eurozone. Financials, Industrials and Information Technology were the fund’s biggest sectors at the end of January, making up nearly 40% of the portfolio.
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Rank
ASX code
ETF name
Star rating
1-yr return
MER
1
ESTX
Global X EURO STOXX 50 ETF
4
27.17%
0.35%
2
F100
Betashares FTSE 100 ETF
4
25.77%
0.45%
3
VEQ
Vanguard FTSE Europe Shares ETF
4
25.53%
0.35%
Only ETFs in the ASX’s Equity – Global category are included.
Best Australian Fixed-Income ETFs
Winner: Betashares Interest Rate Hedged Aus. Grade Corp. Bond ETF (ASX: HCRD)
The winner of the Best Australian Fixed-Income ETF is the Betashares Interest Rate Hedged Australian Grade Corporate Bond ETF (ASX: HCRD).
HCRD focuses on investment-grade Australian corporate bonds and uses interest-rate hedging to help smooth returns when interest rates move. It aims to pay monthly income to investors.
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Rank
ASX code
ETF name
Star rating
1-yr return
MER
1
HCRD
Betashares Interest Rate Hedged Australian Grade Corporate Bond ETF
4
6.61%
0.29%
2
BSUB
Australian Major Bank Subordinated Debt ETF
4
5.73%
0.29%
3
SUBD
VanEck Australian Subordinated Debt ETF
5
5.55%
0.29%
Best Australian High-Yield Share ETFs
Winner: iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF (ASX: IHD)
The iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF (ASX: IHD) has secured the top spot in the Best Australian High-Yield Share ETF category.
IHD offers exposure to 50 high-yielding Australian shares and aims to pay quarterly income. It applies ESG screens to exclude companies that don’t meet certain sustainability criteria, helping it win Best Australian Ethical Share ETF.
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Rank
ASX code
ETF name
Star rating
1-yr return
MER
1
IHD
iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF
4
21.80%
0.23%
2
SYI
SPDR MSCI Australia Select High Dividend Yield ETF
4
16.76%
0.20%
3
VHY
Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF
4
16.63%
0.25%
Best Commodity ETFs
Winner: Global X Physical Silver (ASX: ETPMAG)
Topping the Best Commodity ETF category was Global X Physical Silver (ASX: ETPMAG), following a standout year for silver prices.
By investing directly in physical silver bullion, ETPMAG gives investors a way to gain exposure to silver without having to worry about storage or security.
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Rank
ASX code
ETF name
Star rating
1-yr return
MER
1
ETPMAG
Global X Physical Silver
4
132.84%
0.49%
2
QAU
Betashares Gold Bullion ETF (Currency Hedged)
4
64.41%
0.59%
3
GLDN
iShares Physical Gold ETF
4
55.11%
0.18%
Best Australian Ethical Share ETFs
Winner: iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF (ASX: IHD)
The iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF (ASX: IHD) picked up the Best Australian Ethical Share ETF award, its second category win this year. It also won the Best Australian High-Yield Share ETF category.
IHD invests in high-yielding Australian shares, applying ESG screens to exclude companies that don’t meet certain sustainability criteria, while maintaining a focus on dividend income.
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Rank
ASX code
ETF name
Star rating
1-yr return
MER
1
IHD
iShares S&P/ASX Dividend Opportunities ESG Screened ETF
4
21.80%
0.23%
2
VETH
Vanguard Ethically Conscious Australian Shares ETF
4
12.63%
0.16%
3
E200
SPDR S&P/ASX 200 ESG ETF
4
10.29%
0.05%
About InvestSMART
InvestSMART is a low-cost digital investing platform that helps Australians build long-term wealth. Our core offering is a range of readymade investment portfolios featuring a blended mix of ETFs selected by our investment experts, designed to make diversification simple and accessible.
Alongside our managed portfolios, InvestSMART Custom gives experienced investors the option to select up to five ETFs from our curated list and create a more personalised portfolio.
We also provide tools and insights to help investors understand ETFs, compare options and stay on track with their goals.
IMPORTANT: This information has been prepared as a guide only and is not a recommendation about taking any particular action. This information is general financial product advice only and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. You should consider seeking professional advice before making any investment decision. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before making an investment decision about a financial product. You can obtain a copy of the PDS and TMD by contacting the financial product issuer.
The Awards results are based on historical data at the assessment date and reflect results at that point in time.
All information about performance returns is historical. Past performance information is given for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as, and is not, an indication of future performance. The value of your investment may fall or rise.
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