Every year, a handful of ETFs stand out well above the pack. In 2026, it’s mainly oil, energy, semiconductors, computer memory, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and South Korean equities that have driven the strongest returns since the start of the year.
Below are the 10 ETFs with the best YTD performance according to TradingView — 5 U.S.-listed, 5 Canadian-listed. This isn’t a ranking of the “best ETFs to buy.” It’s past performance, based on specific filters, at a specific point in time — and buying purely because a fund is up 70%, 90%, or 150% since January can expose you to a sharp correction, especially when that performance rests on heavy concentration in one sector or one stock. Treat this as a research starting point, not a buy list.
Ranking Methodology
Data from TradingView, pulled on August 20, 2026.
U.S. ETFs
- Listed in the United States
- Minimum AUM of $500 million USD
- Ranked by YTD performance on TradingView
- Daily leveraged ETFs (2×, 3×, inverse, or similar) excluded
Canadian ETFs
- Listed in Canada
- Minimum AUM of $100 million CAD
- Ranked by YTD performance on TradingView
- Daily leveraged ETFs (2×, 3×, inverse, or similar) excluded
Some funds here use covered calls, an enhanced-income strategy, or modest leverage — they remain eligible because none of that is a daily 2× or 3× leveraged product. And a few funds — USO, BNO, AMDY, and CRWY — aren’t traditional growth ETFs at all. USO and BNO are oil-futures commodity funds; AMDY and CRWY are single-stock enhanced-income funds (AMD and CrowdStrike). Their spot in this ranking reflects price performance, not a claim that they’re diversified growth ETFs.
Top 5 Best-Performing U.S. ETFs of 2026
1. USO — United States Oil Fund
| Ticker | USO |
|---|---|
| Price | $134.74 USD |
| AUM | $2.03B USD |
| Expense Ratio | 0.60% |
| Category | Commodities — Crude oil |
| YTD Performance | +96.90% |
Objective: USO is designed to reflect the daily movement of West Texas Intermediate—or WTI—crude oil through futures contracts rather than ownership of physical oil. As contracts approach expiration, the fund must replace, or “roll,” them into later-dated contracts. When the replacement contracts are more expensive, a condition known as contango, the roll can reduce returns. When they are cheaper, known as backwardation, it can support returns. Strong oil prices and favourable futures-market conditions helped produce USO’s +96.90% YTD gain, but its long-term return can differ substantially from the spot price of crude oil.
Risk: USO is concentrated entirely in one volatile commodity and is highly sensitive to supply decisions, geopolitical events, global economic growth and changes in oil demand. Futures-market mechanics and trading costs can also cause its performance to deviate from crude-oil prices. For these reasons, USO is generally more suitable as a specialized or tactical exposure than as the foundation of a beginner’s portfolio. Because it is structured as a U.S. limited partnership and may issue U.S. tax documentation, Canadian investors should investigate the potential tax-reporting implications before investing rather than assuming their broker will handle every requirement
2. DRAM — Roundhill Memory ETF
| Ticker | DRAM |
|---|---|
| Price | $56.78 USD |
| AUM | $27.16B USD |
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% |
| Category | Equity — Information technology |
| YTD Performance | +93.92% |
Objective: DRAM is an actively managed thematic ETF offering targeted exposure to global companies that produce or supply memory and storage technologies, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), DRAM, NAND flash and solid-state drives. These components have become essential to AI accelerators and data centres, creating strong demand for leading memory producers. Because DRAM launched on April 2, 2026, its reported +93.92% YTD performance effectively reflects its return since launch rather than a full calendar year.
Risk: DRAM is highly concentrated in a narrow and cyclical segment of the semiconductor industry. It holds a relatively small group of companies and may also use total-return swaps to obtain certain exposures. A slowdown in AI infrastructure spending, falling memory prices, excess inventories, export restrictions or disappointing results from a major holding could cause a sharp correction. The fund has an annual distribution schedule, but income is not its primary objective. DRAM is therefore better viewed as a specialized thematic holding than as a diversified core ETF.
3. BNO — United States Brent Oil Fund, LP ETF
| Ticker | BNO |
|---|---|
| Price | $53.66 USD |
| AUM | $691.08M USD |
| Expense Ratio | 1.00% |
| Category | Commodities — Crude oil (Brent) |
| YTD Performance | +91.44% |
Objective: Same futures-based structure as USO, but tracking Brent crude — the global reference barrel for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Its +91.44% YTD return reflects the same global oil rally, with roll dynamics (contango/backwardation) identical to USO’s.
Risk: Same profile as USO — single-commodity concentration, extreme geopolitical sensitivity, no diversification — plus lower liquidity and a higher expense ratio. A tactical tool, not a portfolio core.
4. AIS — VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF
| Ticker | AIS |
|---|---|
| Price | $68.63 USD |
| AUM | $962.28M USD |
| Expense Ratio | 0.75% |
| Category | Equity — Thematic |
| YTD Performance | +77.34% |
Objective: AIS is an actively managed ETF offering global exposure to companies participating in the artificial-intelligence value chain. Its portfolio is guided by the BITA VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle Index but may deviate from the index when the manager identifies new risks or opportunities. The fund invests in areas such as high-performance semiconductors, memory, data centres, networking, power infrastructure and AI-enabled applications. This “picks and shovels” exposure to the infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence helped produce its +77.34% YTD return.
Risk: AIS is more diversified than a pure semiconductor ETF, but it remains concentrated around a single investment theme. Information technology and semiconductor companies represent a significant portion of the portfolio, while foreign holdings introduce currency, geopolitical and emerging-market risks. A slowdown in data-centre construction, semiconductor demand or corporate AI spending could materially affect the fund. Its active flexibility may help the manager respond between index rebalances, but it also introduces active-management risk and does not protect investors from a broad correction in AI-related companies.
5. FLKR — Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF
| Ticker | FLKR |
|---|---|
| Price | $58.31 USD |
| AUM | $1.57B USD |
| Expense Ratio | 0.09% |
| Category | Equity — Total market |
| YTD Performance | +76.64% |
Objective: Tracks the broad South Korean stock market, but with heavy weighting toward tech and memory-chip giants — South Korea sits at the center of the global semiconductor supply chain, which is why FLKR rode the same wave as DRAM and AIS while offering wider diversification than either.
Risk: Currency risk (Korean won vs. USD) and continued dependence on the semiconductor sector for a large share of returns, despite the “total market” label. Very low-cost exposure at 0.09%.
Top 5 Best-Performing Canadian ETFs of 2026
1. AMDY — Harvest AMD Enhanced High Income Shares ETF
| Ticker | AMDY |
|---|---|
| Price | $35.50 CAD |
| AUM | $149.48M CAD |
| Expense Ratio (MER) | 2.11% |
| Category | Equity — Single stock (AMD) |
| YTD Performance | +74.45%* |
*price performance, not total return including monthly distributions
Objective: AMDY is a highly concentrated single-stock ETF offering leveraged exposure to AMD. The fund uses approximately 25% leverage and writes covered calls on up to 50% of its position to generate high monthly distributions while retaining some potential for capital appreciation. Its 2026 performance is particularly impressive because TradingView’s YTD figure appears to reflect price appreciation only; if distributions are excluded, the investor’s total return could be higher.
Risk: AMDY is not a diversified ETF—its results depend almost entirely on AMD. This concentration, combined with approximately 25% leverage, helped amplify gains while AMD was rising, but it can work equally powerfully in the opposite direction. A substantial decline in AMD could produce amplified losses. Covered-call premiums and monthly distributions may provide a partial cushion, but they do not protect the invested capital, and the options strategy may also limit some upside. With a 2.11% MER, AMDY is among the more expensive funds in the ranking.
2. XCHP — iShares Semiconductor Index ETF
| Ticker | XCHP |
|---|---|
| Price | $123.95 CAD |
| AUM | $353.37M CAD |
| Expense Ratio (MER) | 0.39% |
| Category | Equity — Semiconductors |
| YTD Performance | +68.92% |
Objective: XCHP is a passively managed index ETF that provides exposure to approximately 30 U.S.-listed semiconductor companies. It currently tracks the NYSE Semiconductor Index and does not employ covered calls, leverage or active stock selection. Although XCHP trades in Canadian dollars, its underlying companies are primarily exposed to the U.S. market. Its strong 2026 performance reflects the surge in demand for semiconductors used in artificial intelligence, data centres and advanced computing.
Risk: XCHP offers more diversification than a single-stock ETF such as AMDY or CRWY, but it remains concentrated in one highly cyclical industry. Semiconductor companies can experience sharp corrections when demand slows, inventories rise or investors reduce their expectations for AI-related spending. Its 0.39% MER is relatively modest for specialized sector exposure, but the Canadian-dollar listing does not necessarily eliminate the currency exposure associated with its underlying securities.
3. CRWY — Harvest CrowdStrike Enhanced High Income Shares ETF
| Ticker | CRWY |
|---|---|
| Price | $18.27 CAD |
| AUM | $105.34M CAD |
| Expense Ratio (MER) | Not disclosed** |
| Category | Equity — Single stock (CrowdStrike) |
| YTD Performance | +60.40%* |
*price performance, not total return. **Fund launched January 2026; MER not yet published for a full fiscal year. Comparable Harvest single-stock funds run roughly 1.85%–2%.
Objective: CRWY applies the same enhanced-income structure as AMDY to CrowdStrike. It provides concentrated exposure to CRWD, uses approximately 25% leverage and writes covered calls on up to 50% of the position to generate high monthly distributions. Its 2026 performance is especially notable because TradingView’s YTD figure appears to represent price appreciation only. If distributions are excluded, an investor’s total return could be higher.
Risk: CRWY is not a diversified ETF—its performance depends almost entirely on CrowdStrike. The concentrated exposure and leverage can magnify gains when CRWD rises, but they can also amplify losses during a decline. Covered-call premiums and monthly distributions may provide a partial cushion, but they do not protect the invested capital. The options strategy can also limit some of the upside during a rapid rally. Because CRWY is relatively new, its complete MER has not yet been published.
4. HXE — Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class ETF
| Ticker | HXE |
|---|---|
| Price | $63.52 CAD |
| AUM | $148.88M CAD |
| Expense Ratio (MER) | 0.46% |
| Category | Equity — Canadian energy |
| YTD Performance | +54.70% |
Objective: Tracks capped Canadian energy stocks via a total-return swap rather than direct holdings — a corporate-class structure that generally avoids regular distributions and can offer a tax edge in non-registered accounts. Its +54.70% gain tracks the broader 2026 oil rally.
Risk: Sector concentration in a cyclical industry, plus counterparty risk from the swap structure (generally well-managed in regulated products like this one).
5. NNRG — Ninepoint Energy Fund Series ETF
| Ticker | NNRG |
|---|---|
| Price | $88.36 CAD |
| AUM | $458.11M CAD |
| Expense Ratio (MER) | 2.41% |
| Category | Equity — Canadian energy (active) |
| YTD Performance | +51.09% |
Objective: NNRG is an actively managed energy fund that invests primarily in companies involved in oil, natural gas and other energy-related activities. Unlike an index ETF, the portfolio manager selects individual companies based on factors such as their valuations, production outlook, balance sheets and sensitivity to commodity prices. This concentrated stock-selection approach helped the fund benefit from the strong performance of Canadian energy companies in 2026.
Risk: NNRG remains highly exposed to the cyclical energy sector, meaning its results can change rapidly with oil and natural-gas prices. Investors also depend on the portfolio manager’s selections outperforming the market. Its reported 2.41% expense ratio is considerably higher than that of passive energy ETFs, and the fund also charges a performance fee equal to 10% of returns exceeding the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Total Return Index. Active management can add value, but there is no guarantee that it will compensate for these higher and potentially variable costs.
Comparing the Strategies
| ETF | Market | Theme | Diversification | Main Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USO | 🇺🇸 | Oil (WTI) | None | Geopolitical |
| DRAM | 🇺🇸 | Memory | Low | Sector |
| BNO | 🇺🇸 | Oil (Brent) | None | Geopolitical |
| AIS | 🇺🇸 | AI infrastructure | Moderate | AI spending slowdown |
| FLKR | 🇺🇸 | South Korea | High | Currency, semis |
| AMDY | 🇨🇦 | AMD | None | Single stock |
| XCHP | 🇨🇦 | Semiconductors | Low | Sector |
| CRWY | 🇨🇦 | CrowdStrike | None | Single stock |
| HXE | 🇨🇦 | Canadian energy | Moderate | Cyclicality |
| NNRG | 🇨🇦 | Canadian energy | Moderate | Cyclicality, fees |
What These Performances Tell Us About 2026
Oil and AI Infrastructure Are the Two Real Stories in the U.S. Ranking
Two of the five top U.S. ETFs — USO and BNO — are pure plays on the 2026 oil rally, driven by geopolitical tensions and OPEC+ supply decisions. The other three — DRAM, AIS, and FLKR — are all, in different ways, exposed to the same underlying driver: explosive demand for AI hardware infrastructure, whether through memory chips directly (DRAM), the broader AI supply chain (AIS), or a country whose economy is deeply tied to that supply chain (FLKR via South Korea). Two structurally different themes, oil and AI, account for the entire U.S. top 5.
South Korea Is a Proxy for the AI Supply Chain
FLKR’s spot in the U.S. top 5 at +76.64% isn’t a coincidence. South Korea is home to two of the world’s largest memory chip manufacturers, both direct beneficiaries of the AI-driven demand surge. Investors who missed a pure semiconductor or memory ETF still found an indirect, but powerful, entry point through South Korean equity exposure — with the added benefit of broader diversification than a single-sector fund.
Canadian Investors Are Split Between Concentration and Diversification
The Canadian top 5 tells a more mixed story than the U.S. one. AMDY and CRWY sit at the top not because of broad sector strength, but because of concentrated bets on two individual stocks (AMD and CrowdStrike) wrapped in an options-income structure. XCHP offers the same semiconductor theme as the U.S. names, but through a diversified index rather than a single company. And HXE and NNRG show that Canadian energy — not just AI-linked tech — has quietly been one of 2026’s strongest domestic sectors.
How to Integrate These ETFs Into Your Portfolio
Growth Profile (5+ Year Horizon)
A 5% to 10% allocation to semiconductors through XCHP, held in a TFSA or RRSP, is a straightforward way to add AI-hardware exposure without single-stock risk. For a more targeted AI infrastructure bet, a smaller 3% to 5% position in AIS (ideally in an RRSP — see below) adds a different slice of the same theme, since AIS is built around the broader supply chain rather than semiconductors alone.
Tactical Profile (Momentum and Thematic Bets)
DRAM and the oil funds (USO, BNO) belong strictly in a satellite sleeve — a combined 3% to 5% of a portfolio at most. DRAM’s concentration in a handful of memory names makes it unsuitable as a core holding regardless of how strong its 2026 run has been, and USO/BNO are tactical trading vehicles, not long-term holdings, given how futures-roll mechanics behave over multi-year periods.
Income-Focused Profile
AMDY and CRWY can fit a income-oriented sleeve for an investor who already understands covered calls and accepts single-stock concentration risk — but neither should replace a diversified income holding, since both depend almost entirely on one company’s stock price. NNRG suits an investor who specifically wants active, stock-picked energy exposure and is comfortable paying more for it than a low-cost index alternative like HXE.
Which Account Should You Use?
Choosing the right account can matter as much as choosing the right ETF.
RRSP: Generally the Best Choice for U.S.-Listed ETFs
For U.S.-listed ETFs such as DRAM, AIS, FLKR, USO, and BNO, the RRSP is usually the more tax-efficient account for Canadian investors. Under the Canada–U.S. Tax Treaty, U.S. dividends paid on securities held directly in an RRSP are exempt from the 15% U.S. withholding tax. That said, several of these funds — notably DRAM and the oil funds — pay little or no regular dividend income, so this specific benefit matters less for them than it would for a dividend-paying fund; it’s more relevant for a fund like FLKR, which holds dividend-paying South Korean equities.
TFSA: A Solid Fit for Canadian-Listed ETFs
For Canadian-listed ETFs such as AMDY, XCHP, CRWY, HXE, and NNRG, the TFSA is generally the preferred account. These funds trade in Canadian dollars, avoiding currency conversion, and all capital gains, distributions, and withdrawals from a TFSA are tax-free — a meaningful advantage for the higher-distribution funds in this group like AMDY and CRWY, whose monthly payouts would otherwise be taxable in a non-registered account.
What About a Non-Registered Account?
A taxable account can make sense once TFSA and RRSP room is fully used, but investors should keep in mind that capital gains are taxable on sale, dividend tax treatment differs between Canadian and foreign companies, and foreign withholding taxes may apply. For most Canadian DIY investors, maxing out TFSA and RRSP contribution room before investing in a taxable account remains the more tax-efficient sequence.
Are These ETFs Right for Beginners?
It depends on the role you give them in your portfolio. A high YTD return can come from heavy concentration in one sector or stock — a broadly diversified ETF rarely gains 90% in eight months, precisely because diversification smooths out extreme moves both ways. Commodity ETFs like USO and BNO behave differently from equity ETFs: no dividends, no company profits, just futures mechanics. Options-based funds like AMDY and CRWY trade upside for income. High fees (2%+) need to be justified by real added value. And strong past performance can be followed by a sharp correction, especially for concentrated thematic funds.
For a beginner building a first portfolio, a broad diversified index ETF generally remains the stronger foundation — these funds can complement that base later, as a limited satellite position.
Conclusion
The 2026 ranking tells a consistent story: oil and energy, semiconductors and memory, AI infrastructure, the South Korean market, and Canadian enhanced-income strategies dominated returns on both sides of the border. Treat this list as a starting point for research — understand each fund’s strategy, fees, and concentration before investing.
If you want to see how to build a diversified portfolio that goes beyond chasing past returns, check out my Model Portfolios. You can also check out my YouTube videos for deeper dives, and subscribe to the WyzeInvestors newsletter for future analyses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best-performing U.S. ETF in 2026?
USO (United States Oil Fund), at +96.90% YTD as of August 20, 2026, per TradingView.
What’s the best-performing Canadian ETF in 2026?
AMDY (Harvest AMD Enhanced High Income Shares ETF), at +74.45% YTD — though this likely reflects price change only, not total return.
Why have oil ETFs risen so much?
A combination of geopolitical tensions and OPEC+ production decisions pushed oil prices higher in 2026, directly benefiting futures-based funds like USO and BNO.
What’s the difference between a traditional ETF and a leveraged ETF?
A traditional ETF tracks an index proportionally. A daily leveraged ETF (2× or 3×) multiplies its benchmark’s daily return, amplifying both gains and losses and often diverging from the index over longer periods. This ranking excludes leveraged funds.
Are semiconductor ETFs too risky for a beginner?
Not inherently, but they shouldn’t be a core holding. Funds like XCHP or DRAM are concentrated in a cyclical sector and work better as a limited satellite position.
Does a high YTD return mean an ETF is a good buy?
No — it reflects what already happened, not what comes next, and can signal a more expensive or more concentrated (and riskier) position.
Are single-stock ETFs like AMDY or CRWY diversified?
No. Despite the ETF wrapper, they’re 100% concentrated in one company, behaving more like an individual stock position with an options overlay than a diversified fund.
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute personalized investment advice. Data comes from TradingView, accessed August 20, 2026, and may have changed since. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Review each fund’s official prospectus before investing.
