Progress Of My Core ETFs So Far in 2026
Today I want to break down the core investments in my portfolio and how they’ve performed so far this year.
My entire core portfolio is built around three ETFs:
Simple. U.S.-focused. Long-term.
My Strategy
I’m not trying to outsmart the market, I’m trying to own the market.
VFV gives me exposure to the S&P 500 — the 500 largest companies in the U.S.
XQQ gives me heavier exposure to tech and growth companies — like Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia.
XUU gives me the total U.S. market, including small and mid-cap companies.
So together, I’m basically saying:
“I believe in the U.S. economy long term, and I want broad exposure with a slight tilt toward growth.”
That’s it.
No stock picking, No guessing. No reacting too headlines.
Core ETF Performance
The first 3 months of the year have been interesting.
Depending on when you’re listening to this, you probably saw:
Volatility in tech stocks
Interest rate uncertainty
Some pullbacks after strong runs last year
I’ll start with my Vanguard s&P 500 ETF.
As you can see, it popped in the middle of January and took a slight slide from then till the end of March.
You can the bounce back as it’s not up 5% for the year
My second core ETF is XUU.TO. This is my total US stock market ETF.
Follows the same trend and rebound as my s&p 500 ETF. Many say both of these funds are similar, however I like to touch all basis of the US stock market.
Now we’ll look at the last ETF that completes my core which is XQQ.
Following the same downward trend as XUU and VFV, but as you can see, the bounce back a little higher.
What I’m Doing Next
Honestly, I’m doing nothing.
I’m:
Still investing consistently
Still buying these same ETFs
Still focused on the long term
My strategy was built for:
Financial independence
Long-term growth
Compounding over decades
I am thinking about investing a little more in a Canadian ETF I have. The ticker symbol is ZCN.
Its hold 222 companies and has a large focus on the financial sector in Canada.
Right now it’s only about 3% of my portfolio and pays a decent dividend at 2%.T
The TSX actually outperformed the S&P 500 last year. The s&p 500 did 18% while the the TSX did 28-30%.
I’m also thinking of adding a international ETF that invests outside of North America. The one I’m looking at right now is one from Vanguard and the ticker symbol is VIU.
I’m just looking to diversify the portfolio even more and its actually performed better than the s&P 500 this year so far.
Many people in the F.I.R.E. community invest in a international ETF as part as their investment strategy.
Lessons I’ve Learned About Investing So Far This Year
The lesson for me is to just keep it simple and not to waiver from the strategy that’s working.
The funny thing is, the volatility at the beginning of the year, creating some nice buying opportunities
Assets were on sale !!!
My long term thinking and staying consistent have served me well thus far this year.
