At first glance, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investments could not be more different.
ADIA is a sovereign wealth fund tasked with managing the surplus oil revenues of the United Arab Emirates for future generations. CPP Investments, by contrast, manages the retirement savings of millions of Canadians, serving as the country’s Social Security equivalent.
Despite these differences, they share a notable similarity. According to Infrastructure Investor, ADIA and CPP Investments rank first and third globally in infrastructure allocations, with ADIA committing about $47.6 billion and CPP Investments allocating roughly $37.1 billion.
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Unlike retail investors, both of these institutions operate with long time horizons, defined liabilities and a need for stable, risk-adjusted outcomes. The goal is not just growth, but ensuring capital is preserved and available decades into the future even after inflation and downturns. That leads them to diversify into alternatives like infrastructure.
CPP Investments, for example, holds direct stakes in airports, toll roads, sewage and wastewater systems, ports and telecommunications towers across multiple countries. ADIA has emphasized renewable infrastructure, including electricity transmission networks and wind farms.
These are real assets that provide essential services. Many operate under long-term contracts or regulated frameworks, which can generate steady cash flows. Some of these revenues are linked to inflation, allowing returns to adjust as prices rise. At the same time, infrastructure assets tend to have lower correlation with traditional stocks and bonds, making them useful diversifiers in a portfolio.
For retail investors, however, accessing these opportunities directly is difficult. Many infrastructure deals are private, require large capital commitments and involve limited liquidity. Institutions can afford to lock up capital for years, but most individual investors cannot.
There is, however, a practical workaround. Many publicly traded companies operate infrastructure assets across sectors such as utilities, energy and communications. Railways, pipelines, power grids and cell towers are all examples of infrastructure that investors can access through the stock market.
Various asset managers have packaged these companies into exchange-traded funds (ETFs), using either rules-based indexes or active management. In ETF form, infrastructure becomes far more accessible. Investors gain liquidity, diversification and often above-average yields, while still benefiting from the inflation sensitivity that makes the asset class attractive to institutions.
Here are seven of the best infrastructure ETFs to buy today:
| ETF | Expense ratio |
| Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (ticker: PAVE) | 0.47% |
| Global X Infrastructure Development ex-U.S. ETF (IPAV) | 0.55% |
| iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA) | 0.30% |
| FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index Fund (NFRA) | 0.47% |
| State Street SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF (GII) | 0.40% |
| Tortoise North American Pipeline ETF (TPYP) | 0.40% |
| Invesco SteelPath MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (PIPE) | 0.75% |
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE)
PAVE is one of the top-performing infrastructure ETFs, earning a five-star rating from Morningstar for its strong historical risk-adjusted returns within its peer group. Since launching in March 2017, it has grown significantly, now managing about $12.6 billion in assets. Its portfolio is heavily concentrated in industrials at roughly 72%, followed by materials at 22%, with a smaller allocation to utilities.
As the name suggests, PAVE focuses more on the companies building infrastructure rather than owning tollbooth-like assets. Top holdings include Quanta Services Inc. (PWR), Eaton Corp. PLC (ETN) and Trane Technologies PLC (TT). These firms span areas such as electrical equipment, energy systems and climate control. This gives PAVE a growth tilt but results in a lower 0.6% 30-day SEC yield.
Global X Infrastructure Development ex-U.S. ETF (IPAV)
Infrastructure development is not limited to North America. This is especially pronounced in emerging economies, where rapid industrialization and a growing middle class are driving demand for new infrastructure. Investors can access this theme through IPAV. The ETF provides exposure to 100 companies involved in areas such as construction equipment, transportation and raw materials.
Similar to PAVE, IPAV has a strong tilt toward industrials at about 47%, but it also carries a substantial allocation to materials, at 44%. This reflects the role many international markets play in producing and exporting the inputs needed for infrastructure projects worldwide. The portfolio is positioned to benefit from global build-out trends rather than domestic policy alone. IPAV charges a 0.55% expense ratio.
iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA)
For a more traditional take on infrastructure investing, investors may prefer IFRA. The ETF currently manages about $3.9 billion in assets. It tracks the NYSE FactSet U.S. Infrastructure Index, which includes 161 companies split into two equally weighted groups. These consist of owner-operators, such as railroads and utilities, and infrastructure enablers, including materials and construction firms.
Compared to PAVE, this hybrid structure gives IFRA more of an income focus. The ETF currently pays a higher 1.8% 30-day SEC yield with quarterly distributions. Its portfolio is overweight to utilities at just over 40%, followed by a combined 51% allocation to industrials and materials, with energy rounding out the mix. IFRA is also more affordable, with a 0.3% expense ratio versus 0.47% for PAVE.
FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index Fund (NFRA)
While PAVE focuses on the U.S. and IPAV targets international markets, investors seeking global infrastructure exposure in a single ETF may prefer NFRA. This fund tracks the STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index, which includes 217 holdings across developed and emerging markets. NFRA charges a 0.47% net expense ratio and currently pays a 2.9% 30-day SEC yield with quarterly distributions.
NFRA draws from 17 infrastructure-related industries, including cable and satellite, data centers, wireless towers, midstream energy, and transportation across air, rail, road and water. It also includes utilities tied to electricity, water and waste management. One notable feature is its inclusion of social infrastructure, which can encompass assets like correctional facilities, hospitals and postal services.
[READ: 7 Best Thematic ETFs to Buy in 2026]
State Street SPDR S&P Global Infrastructure ETF (GII)
“GII offers a diverse exposure across U.S., international developed and emerging-market firms providing products and services tied to transportation, utilities and energy infrastructure operations,” explains Matthew Bartolini, managing director and global head of research strategists at State Street Investment Management. The ETF charges a 0.4% expense ratio and currently pays a 2.8% 30-day SEC yield.
“There is fiscal support for infrastructure spending linked to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as well as demand from non-U.S. nations to help finance their own self-sufficiency,” Bartolini explains. “With those forces at play and accelerated by the events in the Middle East — where infrastructure stocks have a historically positive response function to rising inflation — GII has outperformed year to date.”
Tortoise North American Pipeline ETF (TPYP)
Unlike Middle Eastern regions exposed to direct conflict, North American energy infrastructure benefits from a more stable political environment and significantly lower risk of physical attacks on critical assets. This stability is reflected in the midstream energy segment, which includes both incorporated pipeline companies and master limited partnerships (MLPs). Investors can access this segment through TPYP.
“The war in Iran only solidifies the comparative advantage U.S. energy infrastructure has versus Europe and Asia,” says Brian Kessens, senior portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital. “TPYP’s portfolio is concentrated in large-cap North American midstream leaders tied to the Marcellus, Permian and Haynesville shale, Gulf Coast liquefied natural gas, and Canadian producing basins.”
Invesco SteelPath MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (PIPE)
“Midstream companies weren’t the focus during the first phase of the Iran conflict, but that could prove to be a good thing now that the oil trade is unwinding on the ceasefire,” says Rene Reyna, head of thematic and specialty product ETF strategy at Invesco. PIPE is an actively managed ETF that can allocate up to 25% of its portfolio to MLPs. It charges a 0.75% expense ratio and pays a 3.6% 30-day SEC yield.
“Midstream also has some interesting tailwinds supporting the long-term growth of U.S. volumes, notably data center demand, which could increase incremental gas demand by nearly 5 billion cubic feet per day, about 13% higher than current,” Reyna explains. “Second, the oil disruption from the Strait of Hormuz could drive increased exports to Asia, which would increase utilization at U.S. export terminals.”
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7 Best Infrastructure ETFs to Buy in 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 04/15/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
