Got a sum of money sitting idle for the long term? Ever thought about how to make it grow steadily? Many people look to US stock ETFs—not only do they diversify risk, but they also save you from watching the market every day.

Looking back over the past decade, the performance of several popular ETFs is indeed worth studying. Take QQQ, for example. It tracks the Nasdaq 100 index and is heavily weighted in tech giants like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft. The total return, including reinvested dividends, offers an attractive annualized yield, but the maximum drawdown is also significant—tech stocks are known for both sharp rises and steep falls. This fund has over $300 billion in assets and a management fee of 0.20%, making it suitable for investors who can handle volatility. It’s up 25% so far in 2025, and the logic for holding long-term is sound, but don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

If you’re more conservative, DIA may be more your speed. It tracks the Dow Jones Industrial Average, covering 30 blue-chip companies like UnitedHealth and Goldman Sachs. Dividends are steady, and volatility is much lower than tech stocks. It’s returned 15% so far this year. With $35 billion in assets and a 0.16% fee, it’s suitable for investors who value cash flow. It’s more resilient in economic downturns, but don’t expect explosive growth.

Then there’s SPY, the representative of the S&P 500, covering the top 500 US companies across tech, finance, and more. It’s the largest and most liquid option.