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Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be excellent investments for those putting their money to work within a Stocks and Shares ISA or SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension). With these products, an investor can obtain broad exposure to the stock market at a very low cost.
Here, I’m going to highlight three Vanguard ETFs that could be worth considering for 2026 (and beyond). I see these funds as a great way to build wealth with minimal effort.
An ideal core holding
For a core portfolio holding, it’s hard to beat Vanguard’s FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (LSE: VWRP), in my view. This is a broad global tracker fund that provides exposure to over 3,600 stocks across developed and emerging markets.
All the big stock market names (Apple, Nvidia, Tesla) are in it. And ongoing fees are only 0.19% per year.
In terms of risk, Vanguard puts it at six out of seven so it’s higher up on the risk spectrum (because it’s only invested in stocks). One thing that’s worth highlighting is the fact that US stocks make up about 65% of the fund (and the Magnificent 7 make up about 35% of the US market) so there’s certainly some geographic and tech sector risk here.
Overall though, I see this as a great product for straightforward exposure to the global markets.
A portfolio diversifier
If an investor is looking to diversify away from the US market, Vanguard’s FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (LSE: VFEG) could be worth a look. This offers exposure to emerging market countries such as China, Taiwan, India, and Brazil.
One thing that appeals to me about this product is that there are some really exciting Chinese companies in the portfolio. Baidu is a good example – it has AI models, AI chips, self-driving taxis and more.
Other names in the ETF include Taiwan Semiconductor, Alibaba, and BYD. So, there are some world-class companies in the mix.
Vanguard puts the risk level here at six again. For me, the big risk is geopolitical tension (eg between the US and China or China and Taiwan).
I see a lot of long-term potential, however. Fees are 0.17% per year.
It’s hard to ignore the US market
If bullish on the US market (“Never bet against America” is Warren Buffett’s advice), Vanguard’s S&P 500 UCITS ETF (LSE: VUAG) could be a good fund to consider. This aims to track the legendary S&P 500 index.
Top holdings are currently Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft. Fees are just 0.07% per year.
Can the US market continue to perform after several years of strong gains? Plenty of experts believe so.
Analysts at Oppenheimer recently stuck a 8,100 target on the index for 2026. That’s almost 20% above the current level.
This fund is also rated six out of seven for risk. For me however, it’s riskier than the global fund as it’s only focused on the US market.
I think the risk may be worth taking on though. Over the long run, the S&P 500 has been a proven performer.
