The Best Performing Dividend ETFs over the Last 10 Years
Updated as of: January 9, 2026
Dividend income composes a major part of equity investing over the long run; more than one-third of U.S. stock market total returns since 1930 have been produced by dividends.
The rise of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in recent decades have enabled exposure to many individual stocks through a single security that trades on the open market. Thanks to ETFs, portfolio managers and clients have been afforded convenient access to a basket of companies packaged together in a single, cost-efficient security focused on a targeted investment objective.
One common investment objective is dividend income, and this article contains the best-performing dividend ETFs from the last year all the way back to the past decade, with data routinely updated by YCharts.
To create this list, we analyzed the entire ETF universe using the YCharts Fund Screener to find the best-performing equity income ETFs on a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year basis. (ETFs with leveraged or inverse attributes as well as those in the alternative currency strategy and options arbitrage strategy peer groups were excluded to focus on long-term investment vehicles that align with broader financial planning goals)
Table of Contents
Looking for similar lists of the best-performing dividend stocks? Check out our Best Performing Dividend Stocks analysis here.
Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last Year
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs over the past year, as of December 31, 2025.
| Symbol | Name | 1 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGDV | Capital Group Dividend Value ETF | 25.49% | 88.51% | 1.27% | 0.33% | $27,273,911,502 |
| TDVI | FT Vest Technology Dividend Target Income ETF | 24.78% | 69.71% | 7.31% | 0.75% | $245,521,487 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 21.70% | 215.83% | 2.18% | 0.15% | $668,454,848 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 19.00% | 172.81% | 1.51% | 0.06% | $110,377,845 |
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 18.90% | 327.61% | 1.07% | 0.48% | $19,945,958,316 |
| BDIV | AAM Brentview Dividend Growth ETF | 18.59% | 22.32% | 1.12% | 0.49% | $4,611,497 |
| RDVI | FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Inc | 17.92% | 76.05% | 7.14% | 0.75% | $2,730,230,037 |
| BEDY | BNY Mellon Enhanced Dividend and Income ETF | 17.63% | -36.31% | 0.09% | 0.50% | $129,271,850 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 17.43% | 361.51% | 1.73% | 0.37% | $495,699,046 |
| DIVO | Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF | 17.41% | 192.41% | 5.03% | 0.54% | $5,980,962,930 |
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Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last 3 Years
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs on an annualized basis between January 1st, 2021 and December 31, 2025.
| Symbol | Name | 3 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Annualized 3 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGDV | Capital Group Dividend Value ETF | 94.11% | 24.74% | 88.51% | 1.27% | 0.33% | $27,273,911,502 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 88.57% | 23.55% | 172.81% | 1.51% | 0.06% | $110,377,845 |
| QDPL | Pacer Metaurus US Large Cap Div Multiplier 400 ETF | 76.89% | 20.94% | 60.51% | 4.78% | 0.60% | $1,430,309,314 |
| FDVV | Fidelity High Dividend ETF | 68.33% | 18.96% | 214.58% | 2.86% | 0.15% | $8,098,672,076 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 67.22% | 18.69% | 361.51% | 1.73% | 0.37% | $495,699,046 |
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 66.58% | 18.54% | 327.61% | 1.07% | 0.48% | $19,945,958,316 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 66.34% | 18.49% | 215.83% | 2.18% | 0.15% | $668,454,848 |
| RFDA | RiverFront Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | 63.59% | 17.83% | 213.02% | 1.88% | 0.52% | $84,784,302 |
| QDF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund | 63.22% | 17.74% | 349.06% | 1.62% | 0.37% | $2,056,539,812 |
| RDVI | FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Inc | 60.22% | 17.01% | 76.05% | 7.14% | 0.75% | $2,730,230,037 |
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Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last 5 Years
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs on an annualized basis between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2025.
| Symbol | Name | 5 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Annualized 5 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDVV | Fidelity High Dividend ETF | 108.49% | 15.83% | 214.58% | 2.86% | 0.15% | $8,098,672,076 |
| DDIV | First Trust Dorsey Wright Momentum & Dividend ETF | 92.19% | 13.96% | 195.11% | 1.87% | 0.61% | $68,851,981 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 91.85% | 13.92% | 172.81% | 1.51% | 0.06% | $110,377,845 |
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 89.42% | 13.63% | 327.61% | 1.07% | 0.48% | $19,945,958,316 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 89.34% | 13.62% | 215.83% | 2.18% | 0.15% | $668,454,848 |
| RFDA | RiverFront Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | 88.39% | 13.50% | 213.02% | 1.88% | 0.52% | $84,784,302 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 87.74% | 13.43% | 361.51% | 1.73% | 0.37% | $495,699,046 |
| RDIV | Invesco S&P Ultra Dividend Revenue ETF | 87.34% | 13.38% | 242.35% | 3.86% | 0.39% | $874,256,202 |
| FDL | First Tr Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 84.19% | 12.99% | 373.49% | 3.98% | 0.43% | $6,224,184,870 |
| EQIN | Columbia US Equity Income ETF | 83.47% | 12.91% | 191.00% | 1.99% | 0.35% | $258,251,855 |
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Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last 10 Years
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs on an annualized basis between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2025.
| Symbol | Name | 10 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Annualized 10 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 298.69% | 14.83% | 327.61% | 1.07% | 0.48% | $19,945,958,316 |
| DGRW | WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund | 260.32% | 13.68% | 362.61% | 1.41% | 0.28% | $16,124,395,660 |
| DGRO | iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 242.23% | 13.09% | 268.97% | 2.05% | 0.08% | $36,616,716,971 |
| VIG | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF | 242.14% | 13.09% | 549.50% | 1.59% | 0.05% | $101,907,650,352 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 213.71% | 12.11% | 361.51% | 1.73% | 0.37% | $495,699,046 |
| DTD | WisdomTree US Total Dividend Fund | 205.88% | 11.83% | 473.01% | 1.95% | 0.28% | $1,487,327,388 |
| PFM | Invesco Dividend Achievers ETF | 205.64% | 11.82% | 425.58% | 1.38% | 0.52% | $767,148,522 |
| QDF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund | 203.09% | 11.73% | 349.06% | 1.62% | 0.37% | $2,056,539,812 |
| DJD | Invesco Dow Jones Industrial Average Div ETF | 203.06% | 11.73% | 202.69% | 2.58% | 0.07% | $392,717,777 |
| SCHD | Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF | 197.99% | 11.54% | 417.21% | 3.73% | 0.06% | $73,390,817,452 |
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What Was the Growth of $10,000 in the Top Dividend ETFs Over the Last 10 Years?
If you invested $10,000 ten years ago into any of the ten best-performing dividend ETFs over the last 10 years, your total return would be lower than if that $10K was invested in the S&P 500.
The best-performing dividend ETF in the last 10 years was the First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY). A $10,000 investment into RDVY 10 years ago would be worth nearly $40,000 today. Right behind it was the WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund ETF (DGRW); investing $10,000 into DGRW back in 2016 would’ve turned into a little over $36,000.
Investing $10,000 into the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index netted a balance of $21,090 on a 7.75% annualized total return over the last ten years, landing it just shy of the ten best-performing dividend ETFs.
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