If you’re looking to build a low-cost diversified portfolio without the stress and time commitment of individual stocks and ETFs, an all-in-one ETF could be your best option.
With a single purchase of an all-in-one ETF, you get access to a number of underlying ETFs that hold thousands of individual stocks and bonds. As a result, you can easily save costs and minimize risk compared to investing in individual ETFs or mutual funds.
While there’s no shortage of all-in-one ETFs in Canada, choosing the best one could be a difficult task. In this post, I have done the hard job for you by identifying the best all-in-one ETFs in Canada that are offered by ETF issuers including Vanguard, iShares, BMO and Horizons.
In the end, you should be able to decide for yourself which of the best all-in-one ETFs in Canada is perfect for you.
What is an All-in-One ETF and How Does it Work?
An all-in-one ETF, also known as a fund-of-funds or asset allocation ETF, is an ETF with a collection of underlying ETFs that are targeted toward achieving a particular investment objective.
Instead of investing in several individual stocks or ETFs to get diversified exposure, an all-in-one ETF gives you access to a portfolio that is not just diversified across different asset classes but one that is automatically rebalanced for you at regular intervals.
Besides helping you reduce investment costs, an all-in-one ETF also helps you achieve greater diversification, reduce portfolio risk, and save time on rebalancing.
To start investing in an all-in-one ETF, simply determine your investment objective and risk tolerance and decide on an asset allocation that matches your need. From there, you can easily determine the best asset allocation ETF portfolio for you and start investing in it.
Whether you have a low/high-risk tolerance or little/higher investment experience, you may find all-in-one ETFs perfect because of their ease of use, cost-saving and diversification.
Overview of the Best All-in-One ETFs in Canada
The table below provides an overview of the best all-in-one ETFs in Canada from Vanguard, iShares, BMO and Horizons.
| ETF Provider | All-in-one ETFs |
| Vanguard | Vanguard Conservative ETF Portfolio (VCNS) Vanguard Conservative Income ETF Portfolio (VCIP) Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL) Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio (VGRO) Vanguard All-Equity ETF Portfolio (VEQT) Vanguard Retirement Income ETF Portfolio (VRIF) |
| iShares | iShares Core Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio (XCNS) iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL) iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio (XGRO) iShares Core ETF Portfolio (XEQT) |
| BMO | BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON) BMO Balanced ESG ETF (ZESG) BMO Balanced ETF (ZBAL) BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO) BMO All-equity ETF Portfolio (ZEQT) BMO Monthly Income ETF (ZMI) |
| Horizons | Horizons Conservative Tri ETF Portfolio (HCON) Horizons Balanced Tri ETF Portfolio (HBAL) Horizons Growth Tri ETF Portfolio (HGRO) |
| Fidelity | Fidelity All-in-One Conservative ETF (FCNS) Fidelity All-in-One Balanced ETF (FBAL) Fidelity All-in-One Growth ETF (FGRO) Fidelity All-in-One Equity ETF (FEQT) |
What is the Best all-in-one ETF in Canada?
The fact is that there’s no single best all-in-one ETF in Canada as different all-in-one ETFs have different investment objectives, risk levels and asset allocations.
What is currently available is a range of best all-in-one ETFs from different providers, such as Vanguard, iShares, BMO and Horizons.
The following is a detailed look at each of the best all-in-one ETFs in Canada.
Vanguard All-in-One ETFs
Vanguard all-in-one ETFs in Canada are US-weighted ETFs that distinguished themselves for their competitive returns and multiple underlying holdings.
As of the time of writing, Vanguard has the following range of all-in-one ETFs in Canada.
- Vanguard Conservative ETF Portfolio (VCNS)
- Vanguard Conservative Income ETF Portfolio (VCIP)
- Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL)
- Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio (VGRO)
- Vanguard Retirement Income ETF Portfolio (VRIF)
- Vanguard All-Equity ETF Portfolio (VEQT)
A detailed view of each of these Vanguard all-in-one ETFs is provided below.
1. Vanguard Conservative ETF Portfolio (VCNS)
| Launched in | January 25, 2018 |
| Target Asset allocation | 59.04% bonds; 40.92% stocks; 0.04% short-term reserves |
| # of underlying holdings | 31,691 |
| Management fee | 0.22% |
| MER | 0.24% |
| Dividend yield | 2.46% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low |
The Vanguard Conservative ETF Portfolio is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol “VCNS”.
The portfolio seeks to achieve a mix of income and a level of moderate long-term capital growth by investing in equity (40.92%), fixed income securities (59.04%) and 0.04% short-term reserves.
With large allocations weighted toward the US, the VCNS ETF had a cumulative return of +16.77% since its inception as of January 31, 2023. This is a decent return for investors looking for less exposure to equities.
2. Vanguard Conservative Income ETF Portfolio (VCIP)
| Launched in | January 29, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 79.17% bonds, 20.27% stocks, 0.04% short-term reserves |
| # of underlying holdings | 31,691 |
| Management fee | 0.22% |
| MER | 0.24% |
| Dividend yield | 2.49% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low |
The Vanguard Conservative Income ETF (VCIP) is a low-risk all-in-one ETF portfolio with 80% of its assets allocated to fixed income (i.e. bonds) and 20% allocation on equity.
With this allocation, VCIP seeks to provide investors with a mix of income and long-term capital growth using over 31,000 underlying securities.
As of January 31, 2023, VCIP had a cumulative return of +7.94% since its inception (January 29, 2019). Considering the asset allocation and risk level of the portfolio, that’s an impressive return.
3. Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL)
| Launched in | January 25, 2018 |
| Target Asset allocation | 60.55% stocks, 39.41% bonds, 0.04% short-term reserves |
| # underlying holdings | 31,691 |
| Management fee | 0.22% |
| MER | 0.24% |
| Dividend yield | 2.38% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio is also traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol “VBAL”.
The investment objective of this portfolio is to provide investors with long-term capital growth plus a moderate income.
As a result, VBAL invests most parts of its funds in stocks and bonds, making it have a low-medium risk level.
Compared to other all-in-one balanced ETF portfolios in Canada, VBAL has provided competitive cumulative returns of +24.75% since its inception as of January 31, 2023.
Learn more: VBAL Review
4. Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio (VGRO)
| Launched in | January 25, 2018 |
| Target Asset allocation | 80.82% stocks, 19.14% bonds, 0.04% short-term reserves |
| # of underlying holdings | 31,691 |
| Management fee | 0.22% |
| MER | 0.24% |
| Dividend yield | 2.32% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio (VGRO) was launched on January 25, 2018, to offer long-term capital growth by investing in stocks and bonds.
With large parts of its funds invested in the US market, VGRO offers investors greater exposure through its over 31k underlying securities.
As of January 31, 2023, VGRO has provided a cumulative return of +32.65% since its inception. This is relatively high compared to the returns of similar portfolios in Canada.
Learn more: VGRO Review
5. Vanguard Retirement Income ETF Portfolio (VRIF)
| Launched in | September 09, 2020 |
| Target Asset allocation | 33.59% stocks, 66.15% bonds, 0.26% short-term reserves |
| # of underlying holdings | 32,385 |
| Management fee | 0.29% |
| MER | 0.32% |
| Dividend yield | 4.34% |
| Distribution frequency | Monthly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
Are you looking to invest your funds in a retirement-based all-in-one ETF? You could achieve consistent return and capital appreciation through the Vanguard Retirement Income Income ETF Portfolio (VRIF).
With monthly dividend distribution and equal allocation on stocks and bonds, this could be the safe portfolio you need to make the best of your retirement income.
The VRIF portfolio had a cumulative return of +5.07% annualized since its inception as of January 31, 2023. This is an impressive return considering the portfolio’s asset allocation.
6. Vanguard All-Equity ETF Portfolio (VEQT)
| Launched in | January 29, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 99.96% stocks, 0.04% short-term reserves |
| # of underlying holdings | 13,625 |
| Management fee | 0.22% |
| MER | 0.24% |
| Dividend yield | 1.58% |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | Medium |
Do you have a high tolerance for enduring the ups and downs of the stock market? The Vanguard All-Equity ETF Portfolio (VEQT) could be your best option.
Even though the portfolio claims to have a “medium” risk level, you need to have a high-risk tolerance because it invests almost 100% of its funds in stocks.
With this allocation, VEQT had a cumulative return of +45.13% since its inception as of January 31, 2023. This is one of the highest returns you would find on a similar portfolio in Canada.
Learn more: VEQT Review
Is the Vanguard All-in-One ETF For You?
Judging from the above analysis, it’s obvious that the Vanguard all-in-one ETFs are perfect for investors looking for:
- Competitive returns
- Greater diversification
- Low minimum investment amount
- Portfolios weighted toward the US markets
But if you’re concerned about management fees, MERs, registered plans, and dividend yield, you may want to look elsewhere as Vanguard all-in-one ETFs score low in those aspects.
The iShares all-in-one ETFs are provided and managed by BlackRock Canada. As of the time of writing, some of the best BlackRock all-in-one ETFs are:
- iShares Core Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio (XCNS)
- iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL)
- iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio (XGRO)
- iShares Core ETF Portfolio (XEQT)
The interesting thing about the iShares all-in-one ETFs is that they have low management fees and MER, above-average returns and are eligible for registered plans.
An explanation of each of the iShares’ all-in-one ETFs is provided below.
| Launched in | August 7, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 58.65% fixed income, 41.19% equity, 0.16% cash/derivatives |
| # of underlying holdings | 20,560 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 1.94% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low |
The iShares Core Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio (XCNS) is a low-risk portfolio with a major allocation to Canadian bonds and US stocks.
With these allocations, XCNS seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and income.
As of January 31, 2023, XCNS has provided a 12.18% cumulative return since inception.
| Launched in | June 21, 2007 |
| Target Asset allocation | 61.13% equity, 38.51% fixed income, 0.36% cash/derivatives |
| # of underlying holdings | 20,560 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 1.90% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL) also seeks to provide investors with long-term capital growth and income appreciation.
To this end, the portfolio invests most of its funds in US equities and Canadian bonds.
As of January 31, 2023, XBAL has provided a 108.95% cumulative return since inception. XBAL has one of the highest returns on balanced ETF portfolios in Canada.
Learn more: XBAL vs VBAL
| Launched in | June 21, 2007 |
| Target Asset allocation | 80.83% equity, 19.09% fixed income, 0.08% cash/derivatives |
| # of underlying holdings | 20,560 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 1.43% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio (XGRO) invests in US equities and Canadian bonds in order to provide investors with long-term capital growth.
With these allocations, the portfolio was able to provide a cumulative return of 84.10% since its inception (as of January 31, 2023).
Learn more: XGRO Review
| Launched in | August 7, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 100% equity |
| # of underlying holdings | 9,302 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 2.61% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The iShares All-Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT) invests in US equities with the aim of providing investors with long-term capital growth.
As of January 31, 2023, XEQT has returned 37.43% cumulatively since its inception on August 7, 2019.
From the above review, is it safe to say that the iShares all-in-one ETFs are perfect for investors looking for:
- All-in-one ETF portfolios with low management fees and MERs
- Above-average returns
- Multiple underlying holdings
- All-in-one ETF portfolios with US equities or Canadian bonds
- Access to registered plans
BMO All-in-One ETFs
The BMO all-in-one ETFs are distinguish themselves with their competitive returns and dividend yields, low management fees and MERs.
Like Vanguard, BMO also has six all-in-one ETFs in Canada with varying allocations to equities and fixed income assets. They include:
- BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON)
- BMO Balanced ESG ETF (ZESG)
- BMO Balanced ETF (ZBAL)
- BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO)
- BMO Monthly Income ETF (ZMI)
- BMO All-equity ETF Portfolio (ZEQT)
1. BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON)
| Launched in | February 15, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 42.03% stock, 57.95% fixed income, 0.02% cash and cash equivalents |
| # of underlying ETF holdings | 10 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 2.82% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low |
BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON) invests in Canadian stocks and equities toward offering long-term income and moderate capital appreciation.
The portfolio was introduced on February 15, 2019, so it is relatively new with short performance history. That said, ZCON has provided a 16.28% cumulative return since inception (as of January 31, 2023).
2. BMO Balanced ESG ETF (ZESG)
| Launched in | January 16, 2020 |
| Target Asset allocation | 62.49% stock, 37.48% fixed income, 0.03% cash and cash equivalents |
| # of underlying ETF holdings | 7 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 2.72% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
BMO Balanced ESG ETF (ZESG) portfolio is a balanced portfolio with a low-medium risk level that seeks to offer long-term moderate capital appreciation and income.
With most of its funds invested in Canadian stocks and fixed income, ZESG has provided 11.35% cumulative returns since its inception (as of January 31, 2023).
3. BMO Balanced ETF (ZBAL)
| Launched in | February 15, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 61.97% stock, 38.08% fixed income |
| # of underlying ETF holdings | 10 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 2.61% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The BMO Balanced ETF portfolio (ZBAL) is a standard balanced portfolio that seeks to provide investors with long-term capital appreciation and income.
To this end, ZBAL invests large parts of its funds in Canadian stocks and fixed income through 10 underlying ETFs.
With these allocations, ZBAL was able to offer a 24.50% cumulative return to investors since its inception (as of January 31, 2023).
Learn more: ZBAL Review
4. BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO)
| Launched in | February 15, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 81.55% stock, 18.55% fixed income, 0.11% cash and cash equivalents |
| # of underlying ETF holdings | 10 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 2.42% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
Are you looking for a Canadian-weighted growth ETF portfolio? The BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO) has you covered with 10 underlying ETFs.
ZGRO helps you achieve long-term capital appreciation by exposing your funds to global equity and fixed income ETFs.
As of January 31, 2023, ZGRO has provided 33.12% cumulative investment returns to investors since its inception (February 15, 2019).
Learn more: ZGRO Review
5. BMO Monthly Income ETF (ZMI)
| Launched in | January 28, 2011 |
| Target Asset allocation | 61.25% stock, 38.50% fixed income, 0.35% cash and cash equivalents |
| # of underlying ETF holdings | 9 |
| Management fee | 0.18% |
| MER | 0.20% |
| Dividend yield | 4.51% |
| Distribution frequency | Monthly |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
If you’re looking for an income ETF portfolio with monthly dividend distribution, you can’t make the wrong choice with the BMO Monthly Income ETF (ZMI).
This portfolio seeks to provide monthly cash distributions and moderate long-term capital appreciation by investing in stocks and fixed income securities.
As of January 31, 2023, ZMI has provided a decent cumulative return of 81.33% to its investors since inception.
6. BMO All-Equity ETF Portfolio (ZEQT)
| Launched in | January 17, 2022 |
| Target Asset allocation | 99.84% stock, 0.16% cash and cash equivalents |
| # of underlying ETF holdings | 7 |
| Management fee | 0.20% |
| MER | 0.18% |
| Dividend yield | 2.46% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Risk level | Medium |
The BMO All-Equity ETF Portfolio (ZEQT) was launched recently on January 17, 2022, to provide investors with equity growth and long-term capital appreciation.
To this end, the portfolio invests in global equity ETFs with major exposure to the US stock market.
As of January 31, 2023, ZEQT has provided a negative cumulative return of -1.92% since its inception.
Learn more: ZEQT Review
Is the BMO All-in-One ETF For You?
One of the BMO all-in-one ETFs could be your perfect choice if you’re looking for a portfolio with:
- Home bias to the Canadian economy
- Competitive returns and dividend yields
- Low management fees and MERs
- Eligibility for registered plans
Horizons All-in-One ETFs
Unlike Vanguard, iShares and BMO, Horizons offer a limited number of all-in-one ETFs with only 3 choices at the moment.
The 3 available Horizons all-in-one ETFs are highlighted below.
- Horizons Conservative Tri ETF Portfolio (HCON)
- Horizons Balanced Tri ETF Portfolio (HBAL)
- Horizons Growth Tri ETF Portfolio (HGRO)
However, the Horizons all-in-one ETFs distinguished themselves for their low management expense ratios (MERs).
1. Horizons Conservative Tri ETF Portfolio (HCON)
| Launched in | August 01, 2018 |
| Target Asset allocation | 50% equity and 50% fixed income |
| Management fee | Varies |
| MER | 0.15% |
| Dividend yield | 0.02% (estimated) |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | – |
The Horizons Conservative Tri ETF Portfolio (HCON) helps you achieve moderate long-term capital growth by investing in approximately 50% stocks and 50% fixed income through 10 underlying Horizons ETFs.
While the ETF has a low estimated annualized yield of 0.02%, it offered a competitive annualized return of 4.49% since inception (as of January 31, 2023).
2. Horizons Balanced Tri ETF Portfolio (HBAL)
| Launched in | August 01, 2018 |
| Target Asset allocation | 70% equity allocation and 30% fixed income |
| Management fee | Varies |
| MER | 0.16% (estimated) |
| Dividend yield | 0.03% |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | – |
The Horizons Balanced Tri ETF Portfolio (HBAL) is a balanced portfolio that also seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
To this end, the portfolio targets approximately 70% equity and 30% fixed income allocation. As of January 31, 2023, HBAL has provided annualized returns of 5.85% since its inception on August 1, 2018.
3. Horizons Growth Tri ETF Portfolio (HGRO)
| Launched in | September 13, 2019 |
| Target Asset allocation | 100% equity |
| # of underlying holdings | 7 |
| Management fee | Varies |
| MER | 0.17% (estimated) |
| Dividend yield | 0.04% (estimated) |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | – |
The Horizons Growth Tri ETF Portfolio (HGRO) is the last but not the least best all-in-one ETF in Canada on my list.
This ETF seeks to provide long-term capital growth by investing 100% equity through six underlying holding ETFs.
Compared to the growth portfolios of Vanguard, iShares and BMO that hold 20% fixed income securities, the Horizons Growth portfolio poses more risk because it is fully invested in equities.
But it makes up for the risk with a higher annualized return of 8.93% since inception (as of January 31, 2023).
Is the Horizons All-in-One ETF For You?
Judging from the above review, it’s obvious that the Horizons all-in-one ETFs are more suitable for investors looking for a portfolio with a low MER and eligibility for registered plans.
On the other hand, you may not find the Horizons all-in-one ETFs perfect if you’re looking for a portfolio with:
- High returns and dividend yields
- Monthly or quarterly dividend distribution
- Greater diversification or more choices in the available asset allocation
Fidelity All-in-One ETFs
Fidelity all-in-one ETFs are unique portfolios that invest in equity and fixed income with variable allocations on cryptocurrencies. The following are the current Fidelity all-in-one ETFs that are traded on the NEO Exchange:
- Fidelity All-in-One Conservative ETF (FCNS)
- Fidelity All-in-One Balanced ETF (FBAL)
- Fidelity All-in-One Growth ETF (FGRO)
- Fidelity All-in-One Equity ETF (FEQT)
The following is a detailed review of each of the above ETFs.
1. Fidelity All-in-One Conservative ETF (FCNS)
| Launched in | January 20, 2022 |
| Assets allocation | 58.4% fixed income, 40.03% equity and 1.2% crypto |
| Management fee | Variable |
| MER | 0.38% |
| Dividend yield | N/A |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The Fidelity All-in-One Conservative ETF (FCNS) is a new portfolio that was launched in January 2022 to offer capital growth by investing in fixed income, equity and cryptocurrencies.
As of January 31, 2023, FCNS had a -3.49 negative annual return and a -3.27 negative cumulative return since inception.
Notwithstanding, the portfolio is worth checking out if you’re looking for a conservative ETF with a mix of equity, fixed income and crypto.
2. Fidelity All-in-One Balanced ETF (FBAL)
| Launched in | January 21, 2021 |
| Assets allocation | 59.4% equity, 38.3% fixed income and 2.3% crypto |
| # of underlying holdings | – |
| Management fee | Variable |
| MER | 0.40% |
| Dividend yield | N/A |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | Low to medium |
The Fidelity All-in-One Balanced ETF (FBAL) is a balanced ETF that seeks to provide medium-long-term capital growth by investing in global equity, fixed income and cryptocurrencies.
The 2.3% crypto allocation of FBAL makes it slightly riskier than other balanced ETF portfolios in Canada. But the crypto allocation is welcome for investors who would rather hold crypto in a single portfolio with other asset classes.
As of January 31, 2023, FBAL provided a -2.56% negative annual return and a 2.44% positive cumulative return since inception.
Besides the high risk, the portfolio also has a high management expense ratio compared to similar portfolios.
Nevertheless, you may find FBAL worthwhile if you’re looking for a balanced portfolio with competitive returns and you can handle the ups and downs of stocks and cryptocurrencies.
3. Fidelity All-in-One Growth ETF (FGRO)
| Launched in | January 21, 2022 |
| Assets allocation | Equity 82.4%, 14.1% fixed income and 3.5% crypto |
| # of underlying holdings | – |
| Management fee | Variable |
| MER | 0.42% |
| Dividend yield | N/A |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | Medium |
Are you looking for a growth ETF portfolio with a higher allocation to equity with some fixed income and cryptocurrencies? The Fidelity All-in-One Growth ETF (FGRO) got you covered.
As a new growth portfolio, FGRO invests 82.4% of its funds in equity, 14.1% in fixed income and 3.5% in cryptocurrencies. This makes it riskier than other growth ETF portfolios in Canada.
As of January 31, 2023, FGRO provided a negative annual return of -1.34% and a positive cumulative return of 5.34% since inception.
Overall, the ETF is worth checking out if you’re looking for a crypto-supported growth ETF that’s weighted toward US equities and Canadian bonds.
4. Fidelity All-in-One Equity ETF (FEQT)
| Launched in | January 20, 2022 |
| Assets allocation | 96.5% equity and 3.5% crypto |
| Management fee | Variable |
| MER | 0.43% |
| Dividend yield | N/A |
| Distribution frequency | Annually |
| Risk level | Medium |
The Fidelity All-in-One Equity ETF (FEQT) is also a new portfolio having been launched in January 2022. As a result, the portfolio has not yet provided dividend yield and performance.
Unlike other all-equity ETFs in Canada, FEQT provides exposure to both equity and cryptocurrencies.
With 96.5% equity allocation and 3.5% crypto allocation, you can expect more risk on FEQT than on similar portfolios.
As of January 31, 2023, FEQT provided a negative annual return of -0.30% and a poor cumulative return of 0.04% since inception.
Is the Fidelity All-in-one ETF For You?
From the above review, it’s obvious that the Fidelity All-in-One ETFs are more suitable for investors looking for:
- Portfolios with exposure to equity, fixed income and cryptocurrencies
- All-in-one ETF portfolios with home bias
If you fall under any of the above categories, you can’t make the wrong choice with the Fidelity All-in-One ETFs.
RELATED: Best S&P 500 ETFs in Canada
How to Buy an All-in-One ETF in Canada
After choosing from the above best all-in-one ETFs in Canada, the next step is to buy the ETF. But how do you go about that?
You may find it confusing how to buy an all-in-one ETF in Canada especially if you’re a beginner. But that shouldn’t be the case!
Many of the best self-directed brokerages in Canada will let you buy any of the asset allocation ETFs online. In fact, some of them support commission-free trading of ETFs.
Some of the best places to buy all-in-one ETFs in Canada are:
- Wealthsimple Trade: Buy and sell thousands of ETFs and stocks completely free with no minimum investment amount or fees. I cover its features and benefits in this Wealthsimple Trade review.
- Questrade: The online brokerage is Canada’s low-cost investing leader. It allows free buying of ETFs, but selling ETFs and trading stocks costs $4.95-$9.95. Learn more in this full Questrade Review.
- Qtrade: Buy and sell 100+ ETFs for free. Learn more about its services in this detailed Qtrade Review.
- National Bank Direct Brokerage: Supports commission-free trading in stocks and ETFs
- Self-directed brokerage: A self-directed brokerage is a medium where you buy and sell securities. If you can handle the investing and rebalancing yourself, then you can save costs by investing through one of the best discount brokerages out there (such as Wealthsimple Trade or Questrade).
Alternatives to All-in-One ETFs
Even though asset allocation ETFs make it simple and effortless for anyone to quickly build a diversified portfolio, they are not for everyone.
If you’d rather leave all the portfolio management tasks to professionals, here are some of the best alternatives to all-in-one ETFs in Canada:
- Robo-advisor: A robo-advisor is an automated investment platform that handles the whole investment for you. Your only job is to describe your personal information (including your risk tolerance, investment goal, and time horizon etc,) and provide funds to the robo advisor. The robo advisor will take it from there and do the investing and portfolio rebalancing on your behalf. Examples of the best robo-advisors in Canada include Wealthsimple Invest and Questwealth Portfolios.
- Mutual Funds: Another popular choice for hands-off investing in Canada is a mutual fund. The only drawback is that they typically have higher management fees compared to index funds and ETFs.
- Financial advisor: Investing your funds through financial advisors is another alternative to all-in-one or asset allocation ETFs. But like mutual funds, their costs are higher than ETFs. However, if you’ll rather get personalized and unbiased recommendations, then working with a fee-only financial advisor is highly recommended.
Bottom Line on the Best All-in-One ETFs in Canada
While there are different all-in-one ETFs to choose from in Canada, the best one depends on your investment objective, risk tolerance and needs.
From the above review, you can see how the various all-in-one ETFs differ in terms of investment objectives, asset allocations, fees, returns, and risk tolerance.
These should be the center of your attention when evaluating which of them is suitable for you.
The bottom line is that you can’t make the wrong choice with any of the above best all-in-one ETFs in Canada so far you choose the one that suits your needs.
But regardless of your risk tolerance and investment objective, I recommend you choose an all-in-one ETF with competitive returns and dividends, multiple underlying holdings and low fees.
Where do you go from here? Kindly let me know your favourite all-in-one ETF in the comment section.
