Best SPDR ETFs to Buy and Hold

After a period of high uncertainty and historic volatility, these six SPDR ETFs give investors options to build solid, low-cost portfolios for the long term.

Fearless Girl statue facing State Street Global sign
(Image credit: Getty Images)

State Street's job as an investment manager is to get you from point A to point B with as little pain as possible and, hopefully, with plenty of assets in your retirement portfolio.

And, to its credit, many of its best SPDR ETFs do precisely that.

State Street now boasts more than 150 ETFs under the SPDR nameplate. The most famous – not to mention the largest SPDR – is the S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY, $583.09) with net assets of $605.8 billion.

SPY launched the ETF era more than 30 years ago, and investors are better for it.

Are SPDR ETFs a good investment?

For investors wondering where to invest, State Street's SPDR ETFs offer a broad range of options that allow them to build a core portfolio while taking occasional shots to capture some of the benefits of higher-growth sectors.

This is especially important amid the upheaval of recent years. What appeared to be a soft landing in 2024 has turned into historic uncertainty and volatility so far in 2025.

"There have been just four soft landings in history — in 1968, 1985, 1995, and now, in 2024," writes State Street Chief Investment Strategist Michael Arone in the firm's 2025 ETF Market Outlook.

"Because soft landings are so rare, market participants don’t have a lot of data points to make bold predictions about the future," Arone observes. "But, historically, economic growth has accelerated in the years following a soft landing. And that pattern is likely to repeat in 2025."

Depending on your personal needs, you might load up on certain funds while ignoring others. But this list of the best ETFs offers options for just about every core portfolio objective.

For investors focused on the long term vs the day-to-day of the market, here are six of the best SPDR ETFs to buy and hold for at least the next few years.

Data is as of May 22. Dividend yields represent the trailing 12-month yield, which is a standard measure for equity funds.

Will Ashworth
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger.com

Will has written professionally for investment and finance publications in both the U.S. and Canada since 2004. A native of Toronto, Canada, his sole objective is to help people become better and more informed investors. Fascinated by how companies make money, he's a keen student of business history. Married and now living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he's also got an interest in equity and debt crowdfunding.