5 Best High-Yield ASX ETFs to Buy Right Now

Last Updated on 21st september 2026

The following 5 ASX ETFs suit investors who seek passive income through a diversified portfolio of high-quality assets.

1. Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD)

Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD) is designed to track the S&P/ASX 200 High Yield Select Index and will give access to 50 high-yield Australian companies.

It will exclude potential dividend traps and highly volatile companies relative to their forecast dividend payouts.

The ETF has a management fee of 0.25% per year and was launched on 1 August 2025.

It will pay distributions each month and is classified as a fund that targets both regular income and capital appreciation.

As of 31 August 2026, HYLD had:

• 12-month distribution yield: 4.3%

• Gross distribution yield: 5.2%

• Franking level: 52.9%

Its top holdings were BHP and ANZ Bank.

2. State Street SPDR MSCI Australia Select High Dividend Yield ETF (ASX: SYI)

State Street SPDR MSCI Australia Select High Dividend Yield ETF (ASX: SYI) will track the MSCI Australia Select High Dividend Yield Index, which is focused on Australian companies with relatively high dividend income and quality characteristics, as well as the potential for franked dividend income.

The ETF has annual management costs of 0.20% and was launched on 28 September 2010.

Distributions are paid quarterly and the portfolio currently includes 56 companies.

As of 31 August 2026, SYI had:

• Dividend yield: 3.94%

• Return on equity: 13.24%

• Financials sector allocation: 45.19%

• Healthcare sector allocation: 13.00%

• Communication services allocation: 8.97%

SYI has also posted positive returns over longer periods. As of 31 August 2026, it had returned:

• 10.50% over one year

• 13.85% annualised over three years

• 10.50% over five years

3. Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Active ETF (ASX: HVST)

Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Active ETF (ASX: HVST) is an actively managed Australian shares ETF which has an aim to provide franked income above the net income yield of the broader Australian share market while also giving investors diversified equity exposure.

The ETF charges a 0.65% annual management fee along with estimated additional expenses of 0.07% per annum.

It pays distributions each month and began on 29 October 2014, but its investment strategy changed in May 2022.

Investment Strategy

HVST uses a rules-based dividend harvest strategy which usually selects 40–60 shares from the 100 largest Australian companies based on expected dividend and franking.

As of 31 August 2026, HVST had:

• 12-month distribution yield: 5.5%

• Gross distribution yield: 7.0%

• Franking level: 63.6%

4. iShares Global High Yield Bond ETF (ASX: IHHY)

The iShares Global High Yield Bond ETF (ASX: IHHY) has given investors exposure to fixed-rate high-yield corporate bonds across developed markets worldwide.

IHHY has an annual management fee of 0.56% and was launched on 4 December 2015, while distributions are done three times a year.

The ETF held 66 bonds with:

• Average weighted maturity: 3.42 years

• Effective duration: 2.82 years

• Weighted average yield to maturity: 6.53%

• 12-month trailing yield: 6.86%

These figures were as of 31 August 2026.

Consumer cyclical, communications and consumer non-cyclical were among the largest sector allocations, which shows the fund's broad exposure across global industries.

5. Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY) will give exposure to Australian companies with higher forecast dividends while excluding Australian REITs and capping exposure to each industry at 40% and each company at 10%.

The ETF charges a 0.25% management fee per year and was launched in May 2011, while distributions are paid quarterly.

As of 31 August 2026, VHY had:

• Equity dividend yield: 3.9%

• Forecast dividend yield: 4.2%

• Forecast grossed-up dividend yield: 5.6%

VHY has returned an annualised 10.77% over the past 10 years, while its annualised return since inception was 10.16%.

Investors who want to diversify beyond dividend-focused strategies may also explore top ASX gold ETFs for exposure to gold through exchange-traded funds

Source: Company Reports