Passive income is a big draw for investors, and dividend-oriented exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a great way to simplify the process. Many of these funds sacrifice returns for distribution stability, however. For investors who want the best of both worlds—attractive dividend yields and market-beating returns—some ETFs offer both.
Of course, there are usually trade-offs in these situations. In the case of the funds below and others like them, investors should be aware of the total fees and risk levels. Many funds with very high dividend yields will also have unusually high risk, making them suitable only for investors with high tolerance.
A Strong All-Around Fund for Income and Returns, But Less Investor Attention
Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF today
Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF
As of 06/26/2026 04:10 PM Eastern
- 52 week interval
- $32.66
▼
$47.82
- Dividend Yield
- 8.92%
- Assets Under Administration
- $86.33 million
Rating of the company Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF BATS: WLDR tracks an index of US and international companies with a strong global track record as measured by market capitalization. To be included in an index and ETF, firms must also demonstrate earnings quality, improved fundamentals, share price momentum, and attractive valuations.
In total, the more than 100 stocks that make up the WLDR basket represent the largest and most successful companies in the world. Tech names are everywhere, of course, including big players like Dell Technologies Inc. NYSE: DELL and Micron Technology Inc. NASDAQ: MU. However, WLDR also has companies in all other industries and sectors, from consumer staples to telecommunications to healthcare and more. A very large number of positions represent 3% or more of each portfolio, but most stocks are not more than 1%.
This company WLDR paid a dividend of 8.86 %. The fund combines that excellent passive income focus with an equally compelling recent performance history, having returned nearly 30% year-to-date (YTD) as well. Although the expense ratio is relatively high at 0.67%, it may be surprising to investors that the combination of income and return did not generate broad interest in this fund: WLDR has assets under management (AUM) of less than 100 million dollars and a low average one-month trading volume of less than 12,000, so payouts may be a problem in some cases.
Different Performance in the Global Shipping Industry Stands Out
SonicShares Global Shipping ETF today
SonicShares Global Shipping ETF
As of 06/26/2026 04:10 PM Eastern
- 52 week interval
- $28.30
▼
$43.52
- Dividend Yield
- 6.44%
- Assets Under Administration
- $71.91 million
With a similar profile in terms of AUM, trading volume, and costs, the SonicShares Global Shipping ETF NYSEARCA: Boat and it can appeal to investors who are willing to accept a reasonable level of risk. As the name suggests, BOAT is an index of global shipping companies. These companies continue to play an important role in the transportation of goods of many different types around the world—for any skeptical investors, the impact beyond the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in recent months should dispel any fears about the importance of global shipping.
As important as oil and gas shipping is, that's not all that shipping around the world is all about. BOAT specializes in stocks for companies that transport a wide variety of goods and raw materials, from consumer and industrial products to dry bulk, vehicles, and, yes, oil and gas too. The fund has more than 50 different positions, with nearly two-thirds of the portfolio representing mid-caps. Due to the international nature of this industry, the fund invests in companies from all over the world.
BOAT pays a dividend yield of 6.40%, over a YTD performance of close to 30%. The low AUM and trading volume may be due to the niche nature of the industry, or perhaps the ETF's high expense ratio of 0.69%, but with dividend payouts and returns as high as they are, investors may be willing to look beyond the payout.
Weekly Spread on Semiconductor Play, But With a Caveat
GraniteShares YieldBOOST Semiconductor ETF today
GraniteShares YieldBOOST Semiconductor ETF
As of 06/26/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
- 52 week interval
- $15.59
▼
$25.81
- Dividend Yield
- 90.83%
- Assets Under Administration
- $95.81 million
Rating of the company GraniteShares YieldBOOST Semiconductor ETF NASDAQ: SEMY stands out on this list as not only an actively managed fund, but also an ETF with the highest expense ratio (1.07%).
In exchange, investors can expect weekly distributions generated by the options strategy on mutual funds that track an index of semiconductor stocks.
Given the use of options and leverage, this fund may also be the most risky of the funds here. Although it has outperformed the market YTD, this ETF is not designed for long-term buy-and-hold strategies. Rather, what is attractive is its sky-high distribution rate of around 95%. However, investors should be fully aware of the risks of the strategies used here before buying.
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