SMH vs SOXX — Which Semiconductor ETF Actually Won in 2026? [4r9giSF9g3L]
I put SMH in my tier list. I called it one of the best semiconductor ETFs available. And that's still true. But there's another semiconductor ETF that has quietly outperformed SMH by over 20 percentage points in 2026 — same sector, same expense ratio, completely different result. It's called SOXX — the iShares Semiconductor ETF — and today I'm covering it for the first time. Including the one structural rule that explains the entire performance gap, the hidden sibling fund most people have never heard of, and my honest verdict on where it lands in the tier list. 📊 What I cover: ✔ What SOXX actually is — BlackRock, launched 2001, 25-year track record through multiple cycles ✔ The 8% cap rule — the one structural difference from SMH that explains the 2026 performance gap ✔ Live performance comparison: SOXX +89.06% YTD vs SMH +68.78% — 20 percentage points of difference ✔ Top holdings: Micron 8.77% · AMD 7.51% · NVIDIA 6.94% · Intel 6.25% · Broadcom 6.17% ✔ Why NVIDIA at 6.94% in SOXX vs ~18% in SMH changes everything in a broad semiconductor cycle ✔ SOXQ — the hidden sibling fund with the same index at 0.19% expense ratio ✔ SMH vs SOXX — which one wins and when, and whether the 71% portfolio overlap matters ✔ Where SOXX lands in the ETF tier list 💰 Live data (as of June 24 2026): • SOXX YTD: +89.06% · 1-year: +179.49% · 10-year annualized: +34.85% • SMH YTD: +68.78% · 10-year annualized: ~30.9% • Performance gap in 2026: SOXX outperformed by +20.28 percentage points • SOXX expense ratio: 0.34% · AUM: ~$47B · 30 holdings • SMH expense ratio: 0.35% · AUM: ~$68.7B · 26 holdings • SOXX #1 holding: Micron at 8.77% (vs ~5% in SMH) • SOXX NVIDIA weight: 6.94% (vs ~18% in SMH) • SOXQ: same index as SOXX · expense ratio 0.19% · less liquid • 71% portfolio overlap between SMH and SOXX • SOXX Morningstar: 4-star 3-year · 4-star 5-year · 5-star 10-year ✅ Help me reach 20K subscribers: www.youtube.com/@DennisDamron?Sub_confirmation=1 Start Investing Today — Affiliate Links: Stock Analysis: Get $5–$200 in FREE Stocks: M1 Finance: Become a Member: ⏱ Timestamps: 0:00 The semiconductor ETF outperforming SMH by 20% in 2026 0:45 What SOXX is — 25-year track record, 30 holdings 1:30 Performance breakdown — up 89% YTD, 35% annualized over 10 years 2:15 The structural rule that explains the entire performance gap 2:50 The 8% cap — how it works and why it matters 3:45 Why the 8% cap crushed SMH in 2026 4:30 Micron at 8.77% vs SMH's underweight — the key difference 5:15 SOXX vs SMH — two expressions of the same thesis 6:00 If you believe Nvidia leads — buy SMH 6:20 If you believe the cycle broadens — buy SOXX 6:45 Long-term comparison 2011–2022 — SOXX 811% vs SMH 781% 7:30 The cheaper sibling — SOXQ (same index, lower expense ratio) 8:15 SOXQ caveat — liquidity and AUM difference 8:45 My honest verdict — where SOXX lands on the tier list 9:30 The one question that decides SMH vs SOXX for your portfolio 10:00 Have you heard of SOXX or SOXQ? Drop it below *Not investment advice. For educational purposes only. Affiliate links above may result in compensation. © Dennis Damron #SOXXetf #SemiconductorETF #SMH #AIInvesting #ETFInvesting #WealthBuilding #PersonalFinance #NvidiaStock #MicronStock #BestETFs #FinancialEducation #DennisDamron