ETFs offer diverse investment paths from total market funds to shipping futures

Investors are exploring various exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to capture market themes and diversify risk. For long-term, buy-and-hold strategies, options include the Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF, which provides exposure to over 3,500 large-, mid-, and small-cap U.S. stocks, and the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, which targets high-quality, financially healthy companies.

In contrast to traditional tech-focused investments, the Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF (BWET) has seen extreme growth, rising approximately 3,670% in 2026. Unlike funds that own physical assets, BWET invests in freight futures, which track the cost of transporting oil by tanker. This surge is attributed to increased shipping costs driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and disruptions in the Red Sea, forcing vessels to take longer and more expensive routes.