XEQT ETF 2026 Review

Given that I recommend the XEQT ETF (and other Canadian all-in-one ETFs) quite often these days, I figured that it was time to give a 2026 update to my XEQT review.

If you’ve checked out my Best ETFs in Canada comparison you’ll see that XEQT is at the top of the list – and it’s for good reason. That said, before we get too far into in-depth, I should point out right off the bat that the VEQT ETF is also a solid option, and the most important thing at the individual investor level is to just pick one and start saving!

Personally, I like XEQT for it’s slightly lower MER and the fact that you get more exposure to developing countries (and slightly less Canadian over weighting).

It’s like (fellow MDJ author) Kyle wrote in his comprehensive course on Canadian retirement: XEQT is the simplest, easiest, and almost-cheapest way to build an excellent portfolio. It can be used in an RRSP, TFSA, or a non-registered account with minimal tradeoffs and the incredibly important concept of fast/easy convenience.

While I am obviously a fan of Canadian dividend stocks, I have to agree with Kyle when it comes to meeting the investment needs of the average investor – who doesn’t want to spend hours each month managing their portfolio.

iShares All Equity Portfolio ETF

The iShares All Equity Portfolio ETF (XEQT) is one that offers broad market exposure from North America, to Europe and Asia. XEQT is aggressive in that it’s made up of 100% stocks.

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XEQT ETF Key Facts:

• MER: 0.20%
• Account Eligibility: RRSP, TFSA, RRIF, RESP, DPSP, RDSP, Non-Registered
• Net Assets: $11.75 billion
• Date Created: August 7, 2019
• Number of Underlying Holdings: 8424
• Price/Earnings Ratio: 20.85
• Price/Book Ratio: 2.62
• Trailing 12-month Yield: 1.84%
• Distribution Yield: 1.01%
• Last Distribution per Share: $0.10

What is XEQT – The iShares All Equity Portfolio ETF?

XEQT is a Canadian all-in-one ETF that does exactly what the name suggests: Instantly diversified your investment dollar into a wide basket of stocks. It’s 100% equities, with no bonds, and is designed for long-term growth rather than stability or income.

Instead of buying individual ETFs and rebalancing them yourself, XEQT bundles global stock market exposure into a single fund. Under the hood, it holds a small set of broad, low-cost index ETFs, that together, give you exposure to thousands of companies from around the world. The rebalancing between the regional ETFs happens automatically, which keeps things cheap and low-maintenance.

From a geographic standpoint, XEQT is heavily tilted toward U.S. and Canadian stocks, with the rest spread across developed international markets and a small allocation to emerging markets. You’re getting large, mid, and small companies across sectors, without having to pick winners or worry about keeping everything in line yourself.

Because XEQT holds only stocks, it’s considered an aggressive portfolio ETF. That doesn’t mean it’s speculative or reckless (it’s about as diversified as you can get) but it does mean the value will swing around with global stock markets. In strong years, that can feel great. In bad years, it can test your patience.

That’s the asset allocation trade-off.

XEQT tends to make the most sense for investors with a long time horizon, a decent tolerance for volatility, and a willingness to stay invested through market downturns. If you can do that, the simplicity of owning one globally-diversified equity ETF can be a real advantage.

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XEQT ETF Fees

XEQT has an extremely low Management Expense Ratio of 0.20%. When you compare it to the average mutual fund’s 2.5% MER and even robo advisors such as Wealthsimple which range from 0.40%-0.70% it makes sense to go with a lower fee option.

When it comes to ETFs, the fees are much lower than other actively managed funds, or even robo-advisors. It’s still good investment practice to understand how the fees are calculated.

What that looks like in dollar terms is this: 

If you invest $10,000 in XEQT, you will pay $20 per year in management fees. If you take that same $10,000 and invest it in a mutual fund, you’ll pay up to $250 per year. 

Over a long period of time, you can save thousands by investing in a fund like XEQT.

XEQT Holdings

When you invest $100 into XEQT, that money is going to split up into 5 other ETFs:

• ISHARES S&P/TSX CAPPED COMPOSITE – $27.27
• ISHARES MSCI EAFE IMI INDEX – $24.67
• ISHARES CORE S&P TOTAL U.S. STOCK – $24.51
• ISHARES CORE S&P TOTAL U.S. COM – $18.31
• ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKET – $5.04

Combined, these funds offer investors exposure to over 8400 different stocks from various sectors and countries around the world. 

It’s literally an instant portfolio.  

Let me rephrase: You can just buy this one ETF – this single investment product – and have an incredibly diversified portfolio.

If we dive a little deeper, each of those 4 ETFs is going to invest your money into the largest companies in the world. ITOT will have the biggest American companies, XIC the largest Canadian companies, etc.

Or to look at it another way, here’s what countries your $100 would go into (note: these large companies are themselves very diversified, with a company like Apple actually getting as much of its revenue from China as from the USA, so your money isn’t quite as concentrated as it first appears).

Finally, good investors always strive for great geographic diversification as well. It often happens that when one part of the world is in an economic slump, another is experiencing growth. Hedging your bets by making sure your investments span the globe is always a wise move. XEQT asset holdings by geographic location can be seen below:

XEQT ETF Performance

The world’s stock markets are on a heck of a run. Some of that is due to covid-induced inflation, some of it is increased productivity and earnings, and some of it is just a general run up in “animal spirits” as valuations have climbed big time the last few years.

As I write this near the end of 2025, XEQT is up over 17% for the year. The surprise in that number is that the non-US components of the ETF actually outperformed the tech-heavy American parts of the ETF!
It should be noted that the last five years represent one of the greatest sustained bull markets in the history of the stock market.

Check out our article on average stock market returns for some context on just how fortunate investors have been over the last few years.

If you do happen to be more of a research-minded active investor, you might want to check out our Guide for Investing in Canadian Value Stocks and Best Canadian Dividend Stocks.

XEQT ETF Investment Accounts for Canada

XEQT is an attractive choice for Canadians because of the variety of accounts it offers. XEQT investment account options include:

• RRIF
• RRSP
• Spousal RRSP
• TFSA
• RESP
• FHSA
• Non-Registered Account
• Corporate Account
• Joint Account
• RDSP
• DPSP

While it’s great that you can purchase XEQT from your registered accounts, you will want to consider the tax implications because of the large number of US holdings. 

If you really want to optimize your ETFs for tax efficiency, you can see our article on the best financial advisors in Canada (as I know they often recommend simple – and cheap – solutions such as all-one-ETFs). You definitely won’t see XEQT recommended by commission-based financial planners as they don’t make any commissions off of these products (which is why they’re so cheap).

How to Buy the XEQT ETF

The simplest way to buy XEQT today is through Qtrade, mainly because they now offer $0 commissions on both ETF and stock trades.

No fine print. No minimums. No “free to buy, pay to sell” nonsense. I wrote about Qtrade’s recent changes in our in-depth Qtrade Review.

Questrade also offers free ETF trades, and you can read more about that brokerage in our Questrade Review.

If you buy XEQT on Qtrade, you don’t pay a trading commission. If you sell XEQT on Qtrade, you don’t pay a trading commission. That matters more than people realize, especially if you’re investing regularly or rebalancing over time.

Some other Canadian brokerages still advertise “free ETF purchases,” but quietly charge you when it’s time to sell. That’s not the end of the world, but it’s friction you don’t need – and it adds up if you’re making ongoing contributions or eventually drawing money out.

Once your brokerage account is open, the mechanics are straightforward. You search for the XEQT ticker, decide how many units you want, and place the trade.

For example, if XEQT is trading around $30 and you have $1,000 to invest, you’d buy 33 units for $990, with a bit of cash left over in your account. That leftover cash can sit there for your next contribution or get deployed the next time you add money.

Nothing fancy. No trading tricks. Just buying a diversified ETF at $0 commission and letting time do the heavy lifting.

XEQT ETF Review: FAQ

Is XEQT a Good Buy Now?

 Blackrock’s iShares have been available in Canada since 2003. It has grown to be a trusted source of a broad range investment products.

XEQT’s obvious strength is that it efficiently splits your investment dollar into more than 8,500 companies from all over the world!

If you are interested in learning more about ETFs, check out our guide to Best ETFs in Canada for 2026. This will give you a better understanding of ETFs in general, as well as let you know our top ETF picks for Canada.

If you’d like to learn about another popular all-in-one ETF, Vanguard’s VEQT, check out our VEQT ETF Review.

For me, the bottom line is that XEQT is the easiest, cheapest way to take a piece of your paycheque, and instantly purchase a broadly diversified all-stock portfolio.