The segment
most people
slept on.
ETFs trade like stocks but hold a whole basket. Lower cost, no fund-manager guesswork, and the easiest door to global markets. Here's the map.
Why ETFs matter now. An ETF tracks an index — no manager picking stocks, fees as low as 0.05%, and you can buy a single unit for the price of one share. International ETFs are also the cleanest way to get global exposure: a Nasdaq ETF on the NSE gets you US tech without hunting for a specialist fund. With Groww and Zerodha now opening direct foreign-share access, knowing the ETF route matters more than ever.
The answer to the Taiwan-fund problem — but watch the overseas cap. Some are open, some shut.
Nasdaq 100 ETFOPEN
+37.8% 1Y
Motilal Oswal · tracks 100 biggest US tech firms
Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta in one unit. 3-year return ~23%, 5-year ~21%. The single cleanest US-tech bet on the NSE. Currency risk applies — you're exposed to the rupee-dollar move too.
S&P 500 Top 50 ETFOPEN
US large-cap
Mirae Asset · 50 largest US companies
Broader and less tech-concentrated than the Nasdaq ETF. A steadier way to own America's biggest companies. Good core global holding rather than a thematic bet.
Hang Seng / Hang Seng TechOPEN
China / HK
Nippon India BeES · Hong Kong & China tech
Exposure to Chinese tech giants. Global managers are cautious on China for geopolitical reasons — but valuations are cheaper than India's. A contrarian global bet, not a core one.
NYSE FANG+ ETF FoFLIMITED
capped
Mirae Asset · 10 mega-cap US tech names
Concentrated bet on the 10 biggest US tech stocks. Often hits the overseas investment cap and pauses fresh inflows — check status before buying. When open, it's the most aggressive US-tech ETF available.
The safe-haven trade that quietly outran almost everything in 2025–26.
Nippon India · tracks physical silver
The surprise winner. Silver surged on industrial demand plus safe-haven buying. Highest trading volume of any Indian ETF. But more volatile than gold — size it as a small allocation, not a core holding.
Nippon India · tracks physical gold
The classic inflation hedge. Backed by physical gold, ~32% over 3 years. Central-bank buying and global uncertainty drove the run. The steadier of the two metals — a genuine portfolio diversifier.
The boring, brilliant foundation. Lowest fees in the market — as little as 0.05%.
Nifty 50 ETF (BeES)OPEN
India top 50
Nippon / SBI / UTI · India's 50 biggest firms
The backbone of passive investing in India. SBI's version alone holds over ₹2 lakh crore. Expense ratio near 0.05%, tracking error under 0.5%. The single simplest way to own India's blue chips — no manager, no surprises.
Nifty Midcap 150 ETFOPEN
~28% 5Y
ICICI Prudential · 150 mid-sized firms
India's mid-cap growth story in one unit. Higher growth than large caps, lower risk than small caps. A passive way to capture the segment without picking individual mid-cap funds.
Concentrated, cyclical, high-conviction. Exciting — but never your whole portfolio.
Nifty Realty ETFOPEN
+46.6% 1Y
Motilal Oswal · Indian real estate stocks
Top-performing thematic of the year. Rides India's property cycle. High risk, high cyclicality — when the cycle turns, it turns hard. A satellite bet, max 5-10% of a portfolio.
Nifty India Defence ETFOPEN
defence theme
Groww · Indian defence & PSU names
Pure-play on India's defence manufacturing push. Concentrated in a handful of PSU and defence stocks. Strong narrative, but the whole sector moves together — diversification inside the ETF is limited by design.
PSU Bank BeESOPEN
PSU banks
Nippon India · public-sector banks
Government-owned banks in one basket. Cyclical and policy-sensitive. Has had explosive runs and brutal drawdowns. For investors with a specific view on PSU banking, not a buy-and-forget holding.