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VanEck Dividend ETFs

Access World's Dividend Leaders

Marketing Communication

Amidst the current period of elevated inflation, investing in dividends can offer an additional source of regular income. VanEck’s Dividend ETFs select the top 100 income payers selected for their dividend yields, resilience and potential for growth. By focusing on companies with a track record of consistent payouts and solid earnings, these strategies aim to combine income generation with global diversification, helping investors build more balanced portfolios over the long term.

Discover VanEck’s Dividend ETF's

VanEck's ETFs track Morningstar Dividend Leaders indices, follow a passive equity strategy and have comparable risk-reward profiles dominated by equity market and currency risk. The sole material difference is the geographical universe (global vs. ex-US), which may alter currency exposure and sector weightings. This comparison is based on the shared Morningstar Dividend Leaders methodology (objective selection criterion). Sources for any comparative statements are Morningstar Indexes and VanEck internal data. Key assumptions include an identical index methodology, identical dividend-yield screen, and the same rebalancing schedule. Dividend resilience is a particular focus, with preference given to those companies that have consistently paid dividends and where earnings appear to potentially cover future dividends.

The Role of Dividend ETFs in Portfolio Construction

Dividend-focused equities can play an important role in portfolio construction, offering access to companies with potentially stable and sustainable payout profiles. Dividend ETFs provide access to companies with stable and sustainable payouts, offering either regular income through distributions or the possible opportunity to reinvest dividends for long-term growth.

This allows investors to choose between generating ongoing income or compounding returns over time, depending on their investment objectives.

When a publicly traded company earns a profit, it can decide to distribute a proportion of the earnings to shareholders as a reward. This reward is called a cash dividend.

Regular cash dividends are paid on a predefined schedule and the amount can typically be estimated using the company’s dividend policy. In case of outstanding financial results or various proceeds from M&A activities (e.g. selling a subsidiary company at a profit), the company can decide to reward its shareholders by distributing a special cash dividend. For more insights on dividends, visit our ETF Academy. 

Besides cash payments, the company can also decide to issue the reward in the form of a stock dividend. The tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.

Over a longer period, dividends constitute an important part of total return. While past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results, dividends have historically been a significant contributor to total returns. For instance, S&P 500 performance after the dividend reinvestment is twice its price return over the last three decades. The VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF pays out the dividend to investors instead of reinvesting it in the fund. Investors can opt to use the proceeds to buy additional ETF shares. Investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of principal.



Evolution of investment of 100 USD in S&P 500

 

Source: VanEck

The VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF Historical Dividend Yield Data Track Record

The Dividend Leaders Index delivered a higher weighted average historical dividend yield compared to the MSCI World during 2016–2025 due to a focused investment strategy targeting top-tier dividend payers, rather than the broad market capitalization approach of the MSCI World. The yield differential was driven by a selection process that filtered for high income, consistency, and sustainability of payouts, which naturally leads to higher yields, especially in the 2016–2025 period which included various market cycles. Past performance does not predict future results. Investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of principal.

Weighted Average Dividend Yield

Data as of 2026/02/28.

Choose Between Global and EX-US

Dividend strategies can play an important role in portfolio construction by combining income generation with diversification. Investors can chose between a global VanEck Dividend approach or a more targeted ex-US exposure.

Global dividend strategies provide access to potentially high-quality companies across developed markets worldwide. These companies typically have established business models, stable cash flows, and a consistent track record of dividend payments.  By diversifying across regions and sectors, global approaches aim at balance income generation with broad market exposure while helping to mitigate concentration risks. Please note that trends can revert and this outlook is not guaranteed. 

The VanEck Morningstar Development Markets Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF provides exposure to potentially leading dividend-playing companies across global developed markets. It aims at focusing on high-quality companies selected for their dividend yield, resilience, and consistency, while offering broad diversification across countries and sectors. 

As markets become more concentrated and uncertainty rises, investors are increasingly looking beyond the United States.


Dividend-paying companies can potentially offer a source of regular income, particularly in periods of elevated inflation. Expanding exposure to developed markets outside the US allows investors to access different economic cycles, reduce reliance on a single market, and diversify possible income streams.


The VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets ex-US Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF provides exposure to 100 currently leading dividend-paying companies from developed markets outside the US. The strategy focuses on dividend yield and resilience, while offering broad diversification across companies and sectors. Dividends are reinvested directly, supporting a compounding return profile.


While the US remains a key part of many portfolios, a broader global approach may help create a more balanced and resilient allocation over the long term.

A Potential Source of Higher Income

These Funds harness the advantages of ETFs, such as easy trading and low costs, to seek to deliver regular income. The VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF identifies high-quality dividend-paying companies globally and diversifies across them, which may help reduce certain concentration risks.

The VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets ex-US Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF complements this approach by focusing specifically on developed markets outside the United States, offering exposure to international dividend-paying companies and helping to diversify away from US concentration.

These Funds follow Morningstar’s indexes

The VanEck Morningstar Developed Market Dividend Leaders ETF tracks an index of global equities with high dividend yields. It is developed by Morningstar, one of the prominent global market research firms. The VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets ex-US Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF tracks an index focuses specifically on developed markets outside the U.S., offering investors a complementary solution for portfolios with significant U.S. exposure. The index's are following the following parameters:

Reliable history

For each equity, a dividend has been paid in the last 12 months. Only proven dividend payers who abide by their commitments and dividend policies should enter the VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Leaders UCITS ETF.

Resilience

Less than 75% of expected earnings are to be paid out in dividends. Large dividends do not guarantee a similar level of payout in the future. Rather, this might harm potential long-term growth and the overall future of the company. A high dividend yield is by no means an indicator of financial health.

Maximum weightings

Maximum weightings* of 40% in any sector and 5% in a single security ensure high diversity across the portfolio. Additionally, geographical diversification may help mitigate concentration risk. 

*Detailed information on the methodology of the Morningstar Developed Markets Large Cap Dividend Leaders Screened Select Index and Morningstar Developed Markets ex-US Large Cap Dividend Leaders Screened Select, which is linked to this investment can be found in the Morningstar Index Methodology.

The Dividend ETF by VanEck Has Delivered Strong Returns

Top 10 Holdings

Holding Name Shares % of Net
Assets
Exxon Mobil Corp 3238282 6.64
Verizon Communications Inc 8298932 5.04
Totalenergies Se 3458006 3.90
Pfizer Inc 11293681 3.83
Shell Plc 6699291 3.83
Nestle Sa 3004691 3.55
Roche Holding Ag 632960 3.00
Pepsico Inc 1559298 2.93
Allianz Se 479621 2.40
Bp Plc 24825409 2.40
Top 10 Total (%) 37.51

Main Risk Factors for Dividend ETFs

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Because all or a portion of the Fund are being invested in securities denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the base currency may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation.

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The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions and sudden and unpredictable drops in value. An investment in the Fund may lose money.

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