Predicting the next hot trend on Wall Street is notoriously difficult. Even traditional indicators — such as economic data and government policy — seem to carry less weight in 2025, as markets increasingly react to headlines and shifting sentiment before most investors can respond.
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That said, it’s still possible to gain exposure to top-performing ETFs before they make their biggest moves, by focusing on recent momentum and funds that already have strong performance trends on their side.
The following list highlights some of the best ETFs to buy now. Each fund commands a significant share of assets and has tapped into market outperformance this year, delivering impressive gains and positioning itself for continued strength ahead:
| ETF | Expense ratio | Assets |
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (ticker: RING) | 0.39% | $2.4 billion |
| Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) | 0.65% | $3.4 billion |
| VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) | 0.35% | $37.1 billion |
| iShares MSCI Peru ETF (EPU) | 0.59% | $245 million |
| Defiance Connective Technologies ETF (SIXG) | 0.30% | $694 million |
| Global X Uranium ETF (URA) | 0.69% | $6.1 billion |
| Amplify Blockchain Technology ETF (BLOK) | 0.73% | $1.4 billion |
iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING)
Gold has been on a tear this year and remains a popular asset for those who want to look beyond stocks into alternative investments. The precious metal has returned about 50% since Jan. 1, and this leading iShares fund — which holds the largest gold miners in the world — has been positioned for strong success as a result. These include leaders like Newmont Corp. (NEM) and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (AEM), among others. And while gold has been surging in 2025, miners have tacked on even bigger gains, with RING up more than 110% year to date.
Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX)
Among the best ETFs so far in 2025, COPX also stands out as a play on hard assets and materials companies. But instead of a portfolio focused on precious metals, the fund is concerned with the workaday metal copper, used in electrical wiring, plumbing and a host of other common applications. Copper prices have rallied to near-record highs this year thanks in part to trade concerns and general inflationary pressures, and COPX has risen about 60% this year as a result.
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH)
A steady outperformer so far in 2025, SMH has delivered more than 50% returns this calendar year thanks to the megatrend of artificial intelligence that is fueling semiconductor demand. The VanEck ETF is the largest and most liquid exchange-traded fund to play the sector, with top components including Nvidia Corp. (NVDA), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd ADR (TSM) and Broadcom Inc. (AVGO). There are only about 25 holdings, so SMH is a very focused fund — but considering the outperformance of heavyweights like Nvidia, this strategy of putting eggs in fewer baskets is really paying off right now.
[Read: 10 Best Growth Stocks to Buy for 2025]
iShares MSCI Peru ETF (EPU)
The smallest fund on this list at about $250 million, this country-specific ETF is a direct play on the Latin American market of Peru — which, in case you’re curious, ranks around 50th among nations by gross domestic product. That’s not terribly big, but investors should know that currently small opportunities can sometimes post massive gains when things go their way and growth trends are significant. Despite recent socio-political instability, Peru is predicting nearly 3% GDP growth this year and next, as well as continued strength in its currency. That has added up to roughly 60% gains so far in 2025, giving this modest-sized ETF one of the best performances on Wall Street lately.
Defiance Connective Technologies ETF (SIXG)
An ETF with a clever ticker, SIXG is all about the evolution of communications technologies beyond 5G capabilities and into next-gen connectivity. Its high-tech holdings include mobile device manufacturers like Apple Inc. (AAPL
), satellite specialists like AST SpaceMobile Inc. (ASTS), and other non-traditional communications plays. The fund is up about 40% year to date on high hopes for the continued growth of connected devices and the Internet of Things in the years ahead.
Global X Uranium ETF (URA)
Nuclear power has been having a renaissance of sorts in 2025, driven by both an urgent need for alternatives to fossil fuels and the extreme energy demand of artificial intelligence and other high-tech industries. URA is a great way to get broad exposure to this trend, with a focused list of 25 leading stocks such as uranium provider Cameco Corp. (CCJ) and reactor specialist Oklo Inc. (OKLO). An important bridge between fossil fuels and a carbon-free future, nuclear energy has a lot of potential right now — and URA is among the best ways to play this trend.
Amplify Blockchain Technology ETF (BLOK)
Bitcoin has been surging lately, with gains of about 50% over the last 12 months. And while BLOK is not a direct play on the cryptocurrency, the crypto- and blockchain-focused ETF holds about 55 components — stocks aiming to capitalize on this innovative sector of Wall Street. From Bitcoin miners like Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) to exchanges like Coinbase Global Inc. (COIN), BLOK is the go-to ETF to play digital assets without owning individual cryptocurrencies directly.
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7 Best ETFs to Buy Now originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/30/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
