As investors look to gain portfolio exposure to the AI buildout, there are several ASX ETFs on the market to consider. 

While past performance doesn’t guarantee future gains, it can be helpful to look at projections when comparing options. 

Three of the most notable AI ASX ETFs include: 

• Global X Semiconductor ETF (ASX: SEMI)
• Global X Ai Infrastructure ETF (ASX: AINF)
• Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: GXAI). 

How are these funds different?

While all of these funds offer AI exposure, they are built in different ways. 

Firstly, Global X Semiconductor fund focuses on the semiconductor industry.

These are the chips and hardware that power AI systems, including companies involved in chip design, manufacturing and equipment. 

Secondly, the Global X AI Infrastructure ETF takes a broader “picks-and-shovels” approach to AI, investing in companies that provide the infrastructure needed to develop and run AI. This includes data centres, networking, power and semiconductors. 

Finally, the Global X Artificial Intelligence ETF is the most directly focused on AI applications and technology, investing in companies developing or benefiting from AI software, automation, machine learning and related technologies. 

In simple terms, SEMI is primarily about the chips, AINF is about the infrastructure that enables AI, and GXAI is about the broader AI ecosystem and its applications.

Which fund has performed the best?

The SEMI fund was first listed back in 2021, with GXAI listing in 2024 and AINF most recently in April 2025. 

Since April 2025 when all funds were available: 

• AINF is up 67%
• GXAI is up 43%
• SEMI is up 140%. 

Looking at the last 12 months: 

• SEMI is up 98%
• AINF is up 34%
• GXAI is up 22%

How much could $10,000 be worth in 12 months’ time?

Taking these results over the last year and projecting the same returns for the next 12 months, a $10,000 investment could be extremely profitable. 

Using the 12-month returns you provided and assuming, purely as a mathematical projection, that each fund repeats the same return over the next year:

• SEMI: A 98% return would turn $10,000 into $19,800 – a $9,800 gain.
• AINF: A 34% return would turn $10,000 into $13,400 – $3,400 gain.
• GXAI: A 22% return would turn $10,000 into $12,200 – a $2,200 gain.

So, if those past 12-month returns were repeated exactly, SEMI would produce the largest projected result at $19,800, followed by AINF at $13,400 and GXAI at $12,200. 

However, these are hypothetical projections rather than forecasts, and past performance does not reliably indicate future returns. 

The post How much could $10,000 invested in these AI focussed ETFs be worth in a year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 fantastic ASX ETFs for Aussie investors in September
• Want to invest in AI shares? Here’s how to do it on the ASX
• Why these ASX ETFs are on my watchlist
• 3 super ASX ETFs for beginner investors
• Down 21% in six weeks, what’s happened to SEMI ETF?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX blue-chip shares can be some of the most appealing options for dividends because of the stability and sizeable dividend yield they can provide.

But there are more blue-chips available to Australians than just the biggest names, such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL).

I think there are a few names out there that can provide a more appealing combination of dividend yield and growth than the most popular stocks like CBA and BHP, like the two below.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

This first ASX share is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that’s invested in an array of different types of commercial property, including government entities (such as Geoscience Australia), telecommunication exchanges, data centres, service stations, hotels/pubs and others.

No other ASX REIT can provide investors with that much diversification under a single investment.

By investing in so many areas, it can protect investors from being too invested in one particular area, while many other REITs are focused on shopping centres, office buildings, or other areas.

One of the main attractions of this ASX blue-chip share is that it has a very long weighted average lease expiry (WALE), meaning the rental income is locked in for a long time. Currently, the REIT has a WALE of around nine years, which is a long time for the sector.

Additionally, that income is regularly growing thanks to rental escalation built into the rental contracts. Some of the portfolio has fixed annual indexation, while the rest of the portfolio has inflation-linked rental increases. This helps support and grow distributions.

It plans to pay a distribution of 25.5 cents per unit in FY27, equating to a distribution yield of 7.4%. That’s a great starting yield, in my view.

Australian United Investment Company Ltd (ASX: AUI)

The other ASX blue-chip I want to highlight is this listed investment company (LIC) which was founded in 1953. So, it has already been going for more than 70 years.

It aims to provide investors with exposure to a quality portfolio of ASX shares, as well as an international investment portfolio, held mainly through international-focused funds.

The goal is to provide shareholders with a portfolio that can provide income and capital appreciation over the medium-to-long-term.

Currently, its biggest positions include CBA, BHP, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL).

It’s also invested in multiple Vanguard funds that give it exposure to the global share market, which I think is a useful factor.

With an annual management expense ratio (MER) of just 0.10%, which I’d describe as one of the cheapest ASX share investment portfolios on the ASX.

The ASX blue-chip share has steadily grown its dividend payout over the long-term and maintained the dividend when it hasn’t hiked the payout.

It has paid an annual dividend per share of 45 cents in recent financial years, which translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.3%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Transurban Group, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The rivalry between BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares has been on clear display this year.

This came as the two mega-cap stocks traded places (several times) as the biggest company on the ASX by market cap.

As 2026 progressed, BHP shares pulled ahead of CBA shares to cement that lead.

At least for now.

But if you’d invested $10,000 in both CommBank and BHP three years ago, which would have been the better investment?

(To put the below performances in some perspective, the ASX 200 has gained 25% in three years, as of intraday trade on Tuesday.)

Investing $10,000 in CBA shares

Turning back the clock to September 8 2023, you could have picked up CBA stock for $100.81 a share.

Meaning you could have bought 99 CBA shares for $10,000.

Those same shares were recently trading at $160.16 apiece, representing a 59% gain.

But we shouldn’t forget the passive income CBA has paid out over this time.

If you’d own the ASX 200 bank stock for the past three years, you would have received (or shortly will) the past six fully franked dividend payments totalling $14.55 a share.

So if we add that back into the recent share price, then the accumulated value of the CommBank shares you bought three years ago comes out to $174.71 apiece.

That’s a gain of 73%.

And it would have seen your $10,000 investment in those 99 CBA shares grow to $17,296 today.

Buying $10,000 worth of BHP shares

So, how would the same investment in BHP stack up to the returns from CBA shares?

Well, on September 8 2023, BHP shares closed the day trading for $43.19. Meaning you could have picked yup 231 BHP shares for $10,000.

On Tuesday, shares in the ASX 200 mining stock were swapping hands for $62.52. That’s a gain of 45% over three years.

Of course, BHP also pays two fully franked dividends a year.

If you’d owned the stock for three years, you’d have received (or shortly will) the past six passive income payouts. Those total (a rounded) $6.35 a share.

Adding that back into the recent share price, then the accumulated value of those BHP shares you bought in September 2023 is now worth $68.87.

That’s a gain of 60%.

And those 231 BHP shares you picked up for $10,000 three years ago would be worth $15,909 today.

The winner is…

While BHP shares have strongly outperformed over the past year, CBA shares are the clear winner over the last three years, gaining 73% to BHP’s 60%, inclusive of those dividends.

The post $10,000 invested in BHP and CBA shares three years ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, CSL, CBA shares
• Rates are rising again. Should you pay down your mortgage or top up your superannuation?
• All 4 big banks now expect a rate hike. What does this mean for ASX bank shares?
• Why this news from China has changed the outlook for BHP shares
• Why I’d wait to buy BHP shares in superannuation

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.