The best-performing ETFs of 2026 all share one defining characteristic: they are leveraged funds tracking companies at the center of the AI infrastructure boom.
They include:
- GraniteShares 2x Long DELL Daily ETF (NASDAQ:DLLL), up about 760% year to date.
- The GraniteShares 2x Long MU Daily ETF (NASDAQ:MULL) (+435%)
- GraniteShares 2x Long INTC Daily ETF (NASDAQ:INTW) (+343%)
- GraniteShares 2x Long MRVL Daily ETF (NASDAQ:MVLL) (+261%)
- GraniteShares 2x Long AMD Daily ETF (NASDAQ:AMDL) (+250%), and
- Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (NASDAQ:SOXL) (+232.9%).
Unlike many AI-themed investments focused on software, these ETFs are riding the companies building the hardware behind the AI revolution.
Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:DELL), for example, is a key supplier of AI servers to hyperscalers. Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU) is busy capitalizing on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) demand. Meanwhile, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) continues to expand its AI accelerator lineup as Marvell Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MRVL) benefits from growing custom AI chip demand. And Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) has piqued investor interest through its foundry strategy and AI-focused turnaround.
Together, these companies form the backbone of AI data centers. They supply the processors, memory, servers and networking equipment needed to train and deploy increasingly powerful AI models.
High Returns, Higher Risk
Dell reported $24.4 billion in AI orders in its first quarter of fiscal 2027, $16.1 billion in AI server revenue, and a record $51.3 billion AI backlog.
Meanwhile, Micron has posted multiple quarters of record revenue, driven by surging demand for HBM used in AI accelerators.
Marvell Technology has delivered strong AI-led growth in its custom silicon and networking businesses, while AMD continues to report accelerating data-center revenue as sales of its Instinct AI GPUs climb.
The improved earnings and upbeat guidance from these AI infrastructure companies have helped propel the leveraged ETFs tracking their shares to the top of this year’s performance rankings.
A Rally With Volatility
Semiconductor stocks came under pressure this week despite strong earnings from storage leaders Sandisk and Western Digital, highlighting how elevated expectations have become after months of outsized gains.
That volatility is amplified in leveraged ETFs. Since these funds reset leverage daily, they can magnify losses just as quickly as gains, making them better suited for short-term tactical trades than buy-and-hold investors.
Still, one trend is unmistakable. The biggest ETF winners of 2026 are not broad AI funds—they are concentrated leveraged products tied to the companies building the physical infrastructure powering the AI revolution. As long as AI spending remains strong, semiconductor-focused leveraged ETFs are likely to remain among the market’s hottest trades.
Photo: Shutterstock
Login to comment