Momentum investors often gravitate toward the market’s strongest-performing themes. Contrarian investors, however, may instead look to areas that have fallen out of favor. Exchange-traded fund, or ETF, performance and flow data can help investors identify these trends.
According to ETF Central’s segment data as of July 11, the strongest-performing ETF category over the trailing one-year period was leveraged equities. This category expanded rapidly with the growth of single-stock products, comprising 533 funds managing $164 billion in assets, returning an average of 162% over the past year.
At the opposite end of the rankings are several highly speculative segments. Inverse equity ETFs declined an average 48% as a prolonged bull market worked against their daily short exposure. Cryptocurrency ETFs declined an average 45% as both Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) fell into a bear market.
The first traditional investment theme to appear among the worst-performing segments is fintech. According to ETF Central, the five fintech ETFs currently on the market have declined an average of 19% over the past year while experiencing $146 million in net investor outflows.
Fintech itself extends well beyond a single Global Industry Classification Standard sector. Companies in the space can be found across information technology, financials, consumer discretionary and communication services, reflecting businesses involved in digital payments, online banking, financial software, lending platforms, blockchain and capital markets technology.
Here are six of the best fintech ETFs to buy in 2026:
| ETF | Expense Ratio |
| ARK Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF (ticker: ARKF) | 0.75% |
| Global X FinTech ETF (FINX) | 0.68% |
| Fidelity Disruptive Finance ETF (FDFF) | 0.50% |
| Amplify Digital Payments ETF (IPAY) | 0.75% |
| iShares FinTech Active ETF (BPAY) | 0.55% |
| Corgi Digital Banking & Fintech Infrastructure ETF (KYC) | 0.35% |
ARK Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF)
Launched in February 2019, ARKF is part of Cathie Wood’s lineup of actively managed thematic ETFs. The fund invests across themes including digital wallets, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and cryptocurrencies. In November 2025, the fund broadened its mandate and changed its name to reflect a blockchain focus, with an allocation to an ARK spot Bitcoin ETF through a holding company.
ARKF also owns fintech leaders, including Shopify Inc. (SHOP), Robinhood Markets Inc. (HOOD) and Coinbase Global Inc. (COIN). A recent outperformer for the ETF has been Circle Internet Group Inc. (CRCL), whose approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish a national trust bank strengthens its ability to manage reserves backing the USDC stablecoin under federal oversight.
Global X FinTech ETF (FINX)
ARKF’s 0.75% expense ratio may seem high, but it is not excessive when compared with some passive competitors. FINX, for example, charges 0.68% despite tracking the Indxx Global FinTech Thematic Index. The ETF holds 74 companies spanning themes such as digital payments, insurance technology, investing platforms, fundraising and third-party lending. The ETF currently has $171 million in assets.
FINX shares several holdings with ARKF, including Robinhood, Coinbase and Block Inc. (XYZ), a digital payments company. Its portfolio is generally tilted toward more established fintech leaders as well, including PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL), a digital payments network, Fiserv Inc. (FI), a financial technology and payment processing provider, and Intuit Inc. (INTU), the maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks.
Fidelity Disruptive Finance ETF (FDFF)
FDFF began life as a mutual fund before converting into an ETF in June 2023, allowing investors to benefit from the ETF structure’s improved tax efficiency through the in-kind creation and redemption mechanism. Despite being actively managed, it charges a lower 0.5% expense ratio than both ARKF and FINX. Fidelity’s managers seek companies they believe are driving disruptive innovation.
Despite its fintech label, the portfolio leans toward established financial blue chips rather than early stage disruptors. Major holdings include BlackRock Inc. (BLK), the world’s largest asset manager, Capital One Financial Corp. (COF), a consumer banking and credit card issuer, Visa Inc. (V) and Mastercard Inc. (MA), the two dominant global payment networks. FDFF manages $41.3 million in assets.
[Read: 5 Best Currency ETFs to Buy Now]
Amplify Digital Payments ETF (IPAY)
Some fintech ETFs take a broad approach by investing across multiple industries tied to financial innovation, while others focus on a single niche. IPAY falls into the latter category, concentrating specifically on digital payments. The ETF tracks the Nasdaq CTA Global Digital Payments Index and targets card networks, payment processors and payment infrastructure providers.
The portfolio holds 41 companies. Visa, Mastercard and American Express Co. (AXP) represent the dominant U.S. card payment networks, while PayPal and Block provide exposure to digital wallets and merchant payment solutions. Since launching in July 2015, the ETF has grown to approximately $155 million in assets under management. IPAY charges a 0.75% expense ratio.
iShares FinTech Active ETF (BPAY)
ARKF is not the only actively managed fintech ETF. Investors looking for a lower-cost alternative may consider BPAY, which charges a 0.55% expense ratio. Managed by Vasco Moreno of BlackRock’s fundamental active equity team, the ETF holds a concentrated portfolio of just 39 companies selected through fundamental research.
Its holdings are notably different from many competitors, including newer fintech names such as retail brokerage eToro Group Ltd. (ETOR) and buy now, pay later lender Klarna Group PLC (KLAR). Investors should also expect greater volatility. Over the past three years, the ETF has recorded an equity beta of 1.4, making it historically more sensitive to market swings than the S&P 500.
Corgi Digital Banking & Fintech Infrastructure ETF (KYC)
Corgi Funds, the ETF sponsor affiliated with the similarly named AI-native insurance platform, has recently launched dozens of low-cost thematic ETFs designed to undercut more established competitors. KYC is one example, charging just a 0.35% expense ratio, less than half that of ARKF. The ticker is a clever nod to the financial industry’s “know your customer” compliance rules.
The portfolio is largely composed of established fintech leaders, with Visa, Mastercard and Robinhood among its largest holdings. Other notable positions include Intuit, Block, MercadoLibre Inc. (MELI), Latin America’s leading e-commerce platform, and Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), whose FICO credit scores hold a de facto monopoly, being used widely by the overwhelming majority of consumer lenders.
More from U.S. News
7 Best Cryptocurrency ETFs to Buy
7 Best Thematic ETFs to Buy in 2026
6 Best Fintech ETFs to Buy originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/14/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
