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For investors, coming out of 2025 might be a lesson that volatility is here to stay, which makes how to tackle 2026 investment decisions all the more critical. Investing strategies that were once “set it and forget it” no longer apply, and neither does being able to put your money into a few single stocks and just watch for growth returns.
Fidelity is a name that has long looked to separate itself from the competition, which is especially true as other firms have been racing to the bottom on fees for passive funds. Instead, with its ETF lineup, Fidelity is essentially doubling down by having an ETF selection that is built for investors who want the ease of exchange-traded funds but don’t want to have to sit and worry about any kind of active management.
In other words, Fidelity investors are looking for a smarter way to build wealth in 2026 in a way that is better than just blind purchases.
Why Fidelity is the Strategic Choice for 2026
As it stands heading into 2026, the reason to choose Fidelity right now is that they are very good at factor-based investing. Fidelity takes a different approach than its competitors by focusing its ETFs on utilizing strong screening criteria to look for specific traits like strong cash flow, low debt, or the right momentum heading into the future.
This quality control mechanism helps Fidelity build out its portfolios to be performance-oriented, especially in an economic environment where interest rates remain uncertain and inflation, while declining, remains a wild card. The other good news is that Fidelity ETFs will do most of the investing work for you and help you target specific outcomes, such as higher income or lower volatility.
Fidelity High Dividend ETF
If you are someone who is looking for an ETF anchor in 2026, the best choice in the Fidelity world is the Fidelity High Dividend ETF (NYSE:FDVV). This fund is more than just focusing on high yields, but also on enjoying sustainable payouts from companies that can afford to keep them going.
With a dividend yield of 3.04%, the Fidelity High Dividend ETF is a great baseline for an income-focused portfolio. The fund has already posted a 22% dividend growth number in the last year, which is fantastic news for shareholders going into 2026. Even if this trend slows down a little, it’s still outstanding growth to have in your portfolio mix.
Fidelity Total Bond ETF
For the fixed-income portfolio of any portfolio in 2026, the Fidelity Total Bond ETF (NYSE:FBND) is arguably one of the better bond funds available. The fund distinguishes itself by not just being actively managed but by having managers who can safely navigate credit risks and duration changes, which is worth paying Fidelity for, as the return shows for investors.
Better yet, the yield here is strong at 4.61%, which is a significantly higher rate now, more than a point higher in fact, than many standard savings accounts or treasuries. Of course, the fact that this ETF pays out monthly is another huge bonus, and with an annual dividend that totals $2.14, you get a stable force in your portfolio that can stay grounded even during times when the market is volatile.
Fidelity Emerging Markets Multifactor ETF
If you are looking for a take on a little more risk as a Fidelity ETF shareholder, you can look at the Fidelity Emerging Markets Multifactor ETF (BATS:FEDM). This fund is a great and affordable entry point into owning a piece of some of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
The key here is the “multifactor” name, as Fidelity is selecting stocks for this ETF that are based on value, quality, and momentum, and not just market size. Thankfully, this strategy is paying off with a yield of 3.58% and dividend growth of 27.06% in 2025. These numbers indicate that the underlying companies are rapidly increasing their cash flows, so adding this ETF to your portfolio is a smart way to diversify away from the US dollar and capture significant growth potential outside of the United States.