The ETFs That Beat the S&P 500 for 15 Years (US 🇺🇸 & Canada 🇨🇦 Edition)

Last summer at a backyard BBQ, a buddy leaned over the chip bowl and said, "Bro, the S&P 500 is for people who've given up."

I laughed, grabbed another burger, and went home to check whether he was right.

Turns out, beating the S&P 500 is very hard. But over the last 15 years, a small group of ETFs actually did it.

Here's who they are, what's inside them, and what it cost to hold them.

How High Is the Bar? The S&P 500's 15-Year Record

The S&P 500 is the "default" index. It holds about 500 of the biggest US companies.

Over 15 years, its return was strong. As of August 2026, SPY (the classic S&P 500 ETF) returned about 14.65% per year over 15 years. financecharts

📈 That's roughly $10,000 turning into about $78,000, by my math.

Most pros can't top that. Over the last decade, only around 14% of actively managed large-cap funds beat the S&P 500.

So when an ETF clears this bar for 15 straight years, it earns a spot on this list.

My Ground Rules for This List

I kept it simple and fair:

The ETF must have at least about 15 years of history. No young funds with lucky streaks.

I used total return, which means dividends were put back in. I skipped leveraged ETFs because they're a different beast.

Numbers are from mid-to-late 2026, so they'll shift a bit by the time you read this.

🇺🇸 US-Listed ETFs That Beat the S&P 500 (15 Years)

1. VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH): The Rocket Ship

SMH owns the companies that make computer chips. Think of chips as the "brains" inside phones, cars, and AI data centers.

Its biggest holdings include Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor, Broadcom, and AMD.

The results are wild. SMH returned about 29.78% per year over 15 years, roughly double the S&P 500's pace. financecharts

📈 By my math, $10,000 at that rate grows to around $500,000.

The fund is small and focused. It holds only about two dozen stocks and charges a 0.35% fee.

The catch? SMH fell about 33.5% in 2022. That's a stomach-flip year.

2. Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK): The Tech Slice

XLK takes only the tech companies inside the S&P 500. Same big names, just the tech part.

Over 15 years, XLK returned about 21.09% per year. financecharts

It's also cheap to own. Its fee is just 0.08% a year.

A handful of giants drive most of the ride here. So when big tech sneezes, XLK catches a cold.

3. Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT): The Wider Tech Net

VGT is XLK's cousin. It also holds tech, but it reaches into smaller tech companies too.

VGT's 15-year return was about 21.18% per year, nearly tied with XLK. financecharts

Its fee sits around 0.10%.

If XLK is the VIP section, VGT is the whole tech concert.

4. Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ): The Famous One

QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100. That's the 100 biggest companies on the Nasdaq exchange, minus banks and other financial firms.

From early 2011 to mid-2026, QQQ returned about 19.25% per year. totalrealreturns

It's also been steady. As of mid-2026, QQQ beat the S&P 500 in seven of the last 10 years.

Here's a fun stat. Over the 10 years ending March 2026, $10,000 in QQQ grew to about $57,000, versus about $38,000 in an S&P 500 fund.

My BBQ buddy was clearly a QQQ guy.

5. Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG): The Chill Overachiever

VUG holds large US "growth" companies. Those are firms growing sales and profits faster than average.

It's less tech-heavy than the others. VUG holds about 160 stocks.

Its 15-year return was about 16.12% per year. financecharts

That's the smallest win on this list. But it's still a win, and it comes with more spread-out holdings.

Quick Scoreboard: US ETFs (approx. 15-year yearly return)

ETF	What It Holds	~15-Yr Return/Yr	$10K Became (my math)
SMH	Chip makers	~29.8%	~$500K
VGT	Broad tech	~21.2%	~$175K
XLK	S&P 500 tech	~21.1%	~$175K
QQQ	Nasdaq-100	~19.3%	~$140K
VUG	Large growth	~16.1%	~$94K
SPY	S&P 500	~14.7%	~$78K

The Pattern Hiding in Plain Sight

Look at that list again. Every single winner leans hard into tech or growth.

The last 15 years didn't reward "clever." They rewarded tech.

That matters, because the next 15 years might crown a totally different winner.

🇨🇦 Canadian-Listed ETFs That Beat the S&P 500

Here's the honest truth: Canada's list is short.

Most Canadian ETFs are just too young. VUN, for example, only launched in August 2013.

Before the list, one quick word you need: hedged.

A "hedged" ETF removes the effect of the US dollar moving against the Canadian dollar. An "unhedged" ETF lets that currency swing hit your returns, good or bad.

1. BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Hedged to CAD (ZQQ): The Canadian QQQ

ZQQ tracks the same Nasdaq-100 as QQQ, but it's bought in Canadian dollars and hedged.

It has a long track record. It launched in January 2010 and returned about 18.03% per year since inception, as of May 2026. transmissionmedia

Its 10-year return was about 19.95% per year, with a 0.39% MER. (MER is just the yearly fee.)

Compare that to a hedged S&P 500 fund. XSP, iShares' hedged S&P 500 ETF, returned about 13.66% per year over 10 years to June 2026.

📈 That's a gap of roughly 6 points a year. Huge.

But hold that thought. ZQQ also dropped about 33.7% in 2022.

2. iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF, CAD-Hedged (XQQ): The Twin

XQQ is basically ZQQ's twin from a different family. Same index, same hedge.

It started trading in May 2011, so it just crossed the 15-year mark.

Over 10 years, XQQ returned about 18.92% per year versus 13.66% for XSP. portfolioslab

If you like iShares over BMO, this is your pick of the pair.

3. Bonus Pick: iShares S&P/TSX Capped Info Tech (XIT)

This one's a wildcard. XIT holds Canadian tech companies, and Shopify is among its top holdings.

It's old enough. XIT launched back in 2001.

I couldn't find a clean 15-year number I trust, so I'm marking it as a 10-year winner. Its 10-year return was about 19.04% per year as of August 2026. blackrock

Buckle up, though. XIT lost about 35.9% in 2022, then jumped about 55.5% in 2023.

Its fee is also higher, at around 0.60%.

My Story: Why I Hold VUN (and Skipped the Hedge)

Now for my own money.

I personally invest in VUN, Vanguard's US Total Market ETF. It's not on the "beat the S&P 500" list, and that's okay.

VUN owns thousands of US stocks, big and small. It's unhedged, which is the key difference from its sister fund VUS.

Why did I go unhedged? Simple.

When the US dollar gets stronger than the Canadian dollar, my US holdings are worth more in Canadian dollars. I get the stock gains plus the currency boost.

Over the last decade, that boost was real. Check this out:

VUN returned about 15.68% per year over 10 years to June 30, 2026. vanguard

The hedged S&P 500 fund XSP returned about 13.66% per year over the same stretch.

📈 Roughly 2 extra points a year. A big chunk of that came from the loonie sliding against the US dollar.

Currency can quietly add (or steal) a couple of percent a year.

It cuts both ways, though. If the Canadian dollar gets stronger someday, unhedged funds like VUN will feel it.

I'm okay with that trade-off. I picked VUN for the long haul, not for next Tuesday.

The Catch: Why Beating the S&P 500 Isn't Free

Every winner on this list came with a price tag. Here's what I'd want a friend to know.

Your Eggs Are in Fewer Baskets

The S&P 500 spreads your money across many industries. SMH, XLK, and VGT bet mostly on one.

If that one industry stumbles, there's no cushion.

The Drops Hurt More

2022 was a gut check. VUG fell about 33.2% that year, while SPY fell about 18.2%.

Big wins and big losses tend to travel together. Can you watch a third of your money vanish and not panic-sell?

Fees Add Up

A 0.60% fee sounds tiny. Over 15 years, compounding makes it chunky.

Cheaper funds like XLK and VUG keep more of the return in your pocket.

Yesterday's Champ Isn't Tomorrow's Promise

These ETFs won because tech had an amazing run. That run might continue, or it might not.

Past returns are a rear-view mirror, not a crystal ball.

How I Think About These Funds (My Approach, Not a Rulebook)

For me, a broad fund like VUN is the main course. It's boring in the best way.

Some people add a small slice of a growth or tech ETF on the side, for a little extra spice. That's often called a "core and satellite" setup.

The big idea: know what you own, know why you own it, and pick something you can stick with through a bad year.

⚡TL;DR: The Key Takeaways

The S&P 500 returned roughly 14–15% a year over 15 years, and most pros failed to beat it.
US winners: SMH (~30%/yr), VGT and XLK (~21%/yr), QQQ (~19%/yr), and VUG (~16%/yr).
Canadian winners: ZQQ and XQQ (hedged Nasdaq-100), plus XIT as a strong 10-year performer.
Every winner leaned on tech or growth, which also meant bigger crashes, like 2022.
I hold VUN, an unhedged fund, and a weaker loonie gave it about 2 extra points a year over a hedged S&P 500 fund.
Past winners aren't guaranteed future winners, so pick what you can hold through a bad year.

Disclaimer: I am a blogger! Not a certified financial planner or registered investment advisor. The information shared in this post is based solely on my personal experience and is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always do your own research or consult with a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

The Part-Time Expert