2 High-Yield Dividend ETFs to Buy to Generate Passive Income

When it comes to dividend investing, there are some excellent ways to put your money to work without having to choose individual stocks. But what dividend ETFs are the best choices for your portfolio?

Two ways I'm adding to my portfolio as we head into 2025 are by focusing on a beaten-down sector with big future tailwinds, and by buying stocks with excellent histories of dividend growth. And here are two top-notch ETFs you can use to invest in them right now.

Could this sector be the biggest winner in a falling-rate environment?

Real estate was one of the worst-performing sectors in the 2022 bear market, and it even performed poorly in 2023 as the rest of the market rebounded. The reason is that real estate investment trusts (REITs) are some of the most interest rate-sensitive stocks in the market.

Without making this an economics lesson, income-focused investments like REITs have yields that tend to move in the same direction as risk-free interest rates. The 10-year Treasury yield is a good benchmark. And with the Federal Reserve finally starting to lower benchmark interest rates, it could be a catalyst for real estate outperformance over the next few years.

One way to invest is the Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSEMKT: VNQ), which has a dividend yield of about 3.8% and tracks a weighted index of REITs. Top holdings include warehouse heavyweight Prologis (NYSE: PLD), American Tower (NYSE: AMT), which owns thousands of cell towers, and data center leader Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX), which could be a big beneficiary of AI tailwinds.

The highest yield isn't always the best yield

Of course, a higher dividend yield is better than a low one, with all other factors being equal. But if you're a long-term investor, the best dividend stocks aren't always those with the highest yield.

Dividend stocks that have solid track records of growing their payout over time tend to not only continue to grow their dividend but to produce strong total returns. And that's why the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEMKT: VIG) should be on your radar.

This ETF tracks a weighted index of 338 stocks that are large-cap stocks with a history of growing their dividends every year. Many of the fund's holdings aren't exactly what you'd expect to find in a dividend ETF. Top-weighted stocks include Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO), and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), just to name a few examples.

So, don't cross this ETF off your list because its 1.7% yield seems a bit low. First, keep in mind that because of the nature of the fund, your dividend payments will likely grow quite rapidly over time. And second, this ETF has produced 12% annualized total returns over the past decade, compared with about 10% for the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSEMKT: VYM). In short, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF can give you a great combination of passive income and growth potential.

Two very different ETFs

The best fit for you depends on your investment style, goals, and risk tolerance. For example, if you rely on your portfolio for current income, the higher yield of the real estate ETF might outweigh the long-term growth potential of the appreciation-focused ETF. On the other hand, if you still have decades until retirement, tried-and-true dividend growers might seem more appealing.

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Matt Frankel has positions in Prologis and Vanguard Real Estate ETF and has the following options: short December 2024 $115 puts on Prologis and short January 2025 $110 puts on Prologis. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Tower, Apple, Equinix, Microsoft, Prologis, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, Vanguard Real Estate ETF, and Vanguard Whitehall Funds-Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $180 calls on American Tower, long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft, long January 2026 $90 calls on Prologis, short January 2026 $185 calls on American Tower, and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.