Top 10 most-bought ETFs: August 2026
A new global fund makes it straight into the list.
2nd September 2026 08:58
by Dave Baxter from interactive investor
A newly launched global equity tracker that undercuts the competition on costs has entered our monthly list of bestselling exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The Vanguard FTSE Global All-Cap ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VALL) only launched in late August but has made it into that month’s list of most-bought ETFs. That’s as indicated by real-time buys and not including regular investing.
The launch of the fund has already caused a stir, given that it charges just 0.07%. The cheapest tracker fund with an “all-world” approach (including emerging markets), HSBC FTSE All-World Index C Acc (BMJJJF9), charges 0.13% a year.
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The Vanguard fund’s scope includes mid and small-cap companies, but the biggest US companies still have plenty of sway in the portfolio.
And while the fund itself has no performance track record just yet, the index it tracks has delivered roughly the same returns as the MSCI All World and FTSE All-World indices in recent years.
Other broad tracker funds remained popular in August, with the Vanguard FTSE All-World ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VWRP) taking the first spot with its accumulation share class, and ninth place with the distribution share class (VWRL), which pays dividends directly to investors.
We similarly see the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VUAG) creep up to third place, with its distribution share class (VUSA) in sixth.
A growth mindset
Sectors (and subsectors) associated with the artificial intelligence (AI) trade have continued to draw investors in. That’s evidenced by the fact that the hard-charging VanEck Semiconductor ETF GBP (LSE:SMGB) maintains its place in the list, but also by the new appearance of the WisdomTree NASDAQ 100 3x Daily Leveraged (LSE:QQQ3).
A more pedestrian way to access the tech-heavy Nasdaq, the Invesco EQQQ NASDAQ-100 ETF GBP (LSE:EQQQ), slips out of the top 10 this month.
Leveraged ETFs amplify the gains or losses you make from a fund, meaning the returns can be substantial but so can the risks. The WisdomTree fund has done well in recent history but investors would suffer notably in the event of a sector sell-off.
- The big name stock pickers changing tack
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Talking of an investment that was popular but has struggled more recently, both gold and silver prices have suffered this year in the wake of a fierce run-up. But investors remain keen on exposure to the spot prices of said metals, with the iShares Physical Gold ETC GBP (LSE:SGLN) moving up to second place and the iShares Physical Silver ETC GBP (LSE:SSLN) climbing to fourth.
Meanwhile, some investors have continued to opt for cash-like exposure, buying into the Amundi Smart Overnight Ret GBP H ETF Acc (LSE:CSH2).
Top 10 most-popular ETFs in August
| Ranking | Exchange-traded fund | Change from July | One-year total return (%) to 31 August | Three-year total return (%) |
| 1 | Vanguard FTSE All-World ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VWRP) | Unchanged | 22.1 | 63.2 |
| 2 | iShares Physical Gold ETC GBP (LSE:SGLN) | Up 1 | 32.3 | 118.5 |
| 3 | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VUAG) | Up 1 | 19.9 | 64.8 |
| 4 | iShares Physical Silver ETC GBP (LSE:SSLN) | Up 4 | 79.9 | 165.7 |
| 5 | Vanguard FTSE Global All-Cap ETF USD Acc GBP (LSE:VALL) | New | N/A | N/A |
| 6 | Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF GBP (LSE:VUSA) | Unchanged | 19.9 | 64.8 |
| 7 | WisdomTree NASDAQ 100 3x Daily Leveraged GBP (LSE:LQQ3) | New | 56.9 | 207.4 |
| 8 | VanEck Semiconductor ETF GBP (LSE:SMGB) | Down 3 | 112.1 | 233.3 |
| 9 | Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF GBP (LSE:VWRL) | Down 2 | 22.1 | 63.2 |
| 10 | Amundi Smart Overnight Ret GBP H ETF Acc (LSE:CSH2) | Unchanged | 3.9 | 8.3 |
Source: FE. Top 10 based on number of buys in August. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
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