ASX dividend shares are a simple way for Australian investors to earn a regular passive income.

But because there are so many on offer, all yielding different amounts, it can be difficult to find the best ones to invest in.

Here are two of my top ASX dividend stock picks. And they all both pay their shareholders a yield of 8% or more.

BetaShares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: YMAX)

Unlike many ASX shares listed on the sharemarket, YMAX is an ASX-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF). That means that it’s not a straight company stock, but instead it gives its shareholders exposure to Australia’s 20 largest blue-chip shares. 

The fund uses a covered call strategy to generate extra income that is typically higher than dividend yields alone. It generally offers lower volatility than a direct investment in the underlying shares. It does not aim to track an index.

YMAX’s largest allocation is to the financial sector, which accounts for 45.8% of its allocation at the time of writing. The materials sector is second, accounting for 22.7% of the ETF.

The fund also invests into the consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, industrials, real estate, communications, and healthcare sectors. 

Aside from diversification, YMAX offers another perk that many other ASX shares on the index don’t. It pays its shareholders a dividend every single month.  

As of the 31st of July, the YMAX ETF has a 12-month gross distribution yield of 8.6%, and a net yield of 7.3%. The total franking level is 41.2%.

The ASX dividend share’s most recent dividend was a 5 cents per unit payment to shareholders in mid-August. It has paid between 3.5 cents and 5 cents per share since it moved to monthly payouts in February this year. Prior to this, YMAX paid shareholders on a quarterly basis.

Metrics Master Income Trust (ASX: MXT)

The Metrics Master Income Trust is a listed investment trust (LIT) which gives direct exposure to the Australian corporate loan market. This is a space currently dominated by regulated Australian banks.

Rather than owning a portfolio of ASX shares, the trust has a portfolio of corporate loans and private credit investments (an increasingly popular asset class for income-focused investors). It currently manages around $40 billion in assets.

Metrics Master Income Trust said it targets a return of the Reserve Bank cash rate plus 3.25% per annum through the economic cycle. This is net of around 7.60% per annum fees. 

Distributions are paid monthly, and there is also a distribution reinvestment plan (DRP). The plan allows its investors to reinvest their monthly income distributions.

The Trust’s most recent unfranked dividend of 1.44 cents was paid to shareholders earlier this month. The latest dividend means that the fund has paid 12 dividends to investors over the past 12 months, totalling 15.8 cents per share. At the time of writing, this gives the trust a dividend yield of 8.18%.

The post 2 ASX dividend shares yielding 8% (or higher) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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.

Two ASX fintech shares stand out to me for their potentially enormous US growth opportunities. While both companies already have established businesses, their exposure to the world’s largest economy could provide another leg of growth.

For investors seeking ASX shares with international ambitions, Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) are two names worth considering.

Xero: first moves in US$29 billion market

Xero is a cloud-based accounting software company that helps small and medium-sized businesses manage accounting, invoicing, payments, payroll and other financial tasks.

Australia and New Zealand provided Xero with its foundation, while the UK has developed into another substantial market. The company finished FY26 with 4.92 million customers globally, an impressive customer base for a company that began in New Zealand less than two decades ago.

Yet, Xero estimates its total addressable market at around 100 million small and medium-sized businesses worldwide.

The US could therefore be crucial to the next phase of growth for these ASX fintech shares. Xero had approximately 424,000 US customers at the end of FY26, leaving plenty of room to expand in one of management’s three most important markets.

The acquisition of US billing platform Melio has strengthened Xero’s US proposition by allowing businesses to manage outgoing payments directly through its platform. Management estimates the US small-business payments opportunity alone at US$29 billion.

Xero’s combination of accounting, payments and payroll gives customers more reasons to stay within its ecosystem. Its JAX artificial intelligence platform could provide another growth engine by automating financial tasks and helping customers make better decisions using their existing data.

There are risks, including intense US competition and the need to integrate Melio successfully.

Zip: US is only source of customer growth

Zip is a fintech company that provides buy now, pay later and digital payment services to consumers and merchants. It is also another ASX fintech share with a rapidly expanding US opportunity. The US is already its biggest source of growth, accounting for around two-thirds of revenue in FY26.

Total revenue increased 24.7%, including 37.3% growth in the US in Australian dollar terms. In US dollar terms, US revenue climbed 44.3%, compared with just 4.6% revenue growth in ANZ.

The US is also Zip’s only source of customer growth. US active customers increased 9.3% to 4.65 million, while ANZ active customers declined 8% to 1.88 million. For FY27, Zip expects US total transaction value growth of more than 30%.

Importantly, Zip isn’t simply growing revenue. Operating leverage is helping profits grow substantially faster. Cash gross profit rose 26.2% to $642.3 million in FY26, while cash operating profit jumped 57.9% to $268.9 million.

That combination of strong US growth and improving profitability makes Zip one of the ASX fintech shares I think investors should keep on their radar.

The post 2 ASX fintech shares to buy for their huge US growth potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• What on earth’s going on with Xero shares?
• 2 ASX shares tipped to grow 60% or more in the next 12 months
• 3 reasons why the Zip share price could be a great buy
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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have had a strong rally throughout August.

At the time of writing, the ASX mining stock is up around 12% over the past month, and is a huge 58% higher than 12 months ago.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has increased by around 3% over the past month and is 2% higher than it was 12 months ago, at the time of writing.

Can BHP shares keep climbing higher next month? Is it time to snap up the stock before the next rally or have the shares reached a ceiling?

What happened to BHP shares in August?

BHP started trending higher in early August as the market grew more bullish on copper prices.

But the share price picked up pace after the miner reported its record FY26 earnings results on the 18th of August.

The group posted a strong operational performance across all its key segments and an impressive 27% increase in its underlying EBITDA. 

Investors were clearly thrilled with the update and many have rushed to snap up a stake in the mining company.

Should I buy BHP shares before the end of the month?

If broker analysis is anything to go by, it looks like the shares are now trading around, or even a little above, fair value.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on BHP shares. But after the August rally, the average $61.78 target price now implies a potential 8% downside ahead, at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows similar sentiment. The majority of analysts (14 out of 24) have a hold rating on BHP shares. Another six rate the mining stock as a strong buy, and four rate the shares as a sell/strong sell.

Again, the average $62.68 target price now implies a potential 7% downside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

However, the range between the maximum and minimum target prices is huge. Some forecast the shares to fall around 35% to $35.14. Meanwhile, others are bullish that BHP shares could soar 36% higher to $91.71 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

The team at Morgans downgraded its outlook on BHP shares to a sell and reduced its 12-month target price to $55.30 after the company announced its FY26 results. The broker noted that while it was a solid result, the share price already factors in more upside.

John Athanasiou from Red Leaf Securities has a hold rating on BHP shares following the FY26 results announcement last week. He said that the quality of BHP’s asset base, balance sheet and diversified portfolio leaves existing shareholders with little reason to sell. But after a solid run, he said investors may be better off waiting for a more attractive entry point.

Morgan Stanley renewed its buy rating on BHP shares after the miner’s FY26 report and increased its 12-month price target to $67.50.

The post Should I buy BHP shares before the end of August? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has positions in BHP Group. 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.