What do Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta, and Google have in common?

• They are all companies of products you use every day

• It’s impossible to “run away” from them

• All of them belong to the US.

In fact, 8 of the 10 most valuable companies in the world are from America.

It’s no surprise, then, that the US is the world's most dominant and productive economy.

Their stock market is multiple times bigger than ours, their currency is stronger (although not as strong as the year before), and their companies dominate every major tech category you can think of.

My investing philosophy is simple: If I like the product, I’ll invest in the company.

• iPhones are from Apple

• The laptop I used to write this article is from HP

• I find sources from Google

• I watch videos on YouTube (which is owned by Google)

And so on.

This is one of the primary reasons why I chose to invest in the US: I want direct exposure to companies that make products for everyday citizens.

However, there’s a catch: there are simply too many great products out there.

It wouldn’t be feasible for me to buy shares in all of these companies individually. Managing that would be a nightmare.

That’s exactly why I invest in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

What ETFs actually are (and why I invest a lot in them).

Think of an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) as a basket of stocks you can buy with a click.

Instead of stressing over which individual companies to pick, you buy the whole basket.

This allows you to spread your exposure across hundreds, or even thousands, of stocks.

The most well-known ETFs include:

• Vanguard S&P500 (VOO): Invests in the S&P 500 Index, representing 500 of the largest US companies.

• Vanguard Information Technology (VGT): Focuses purely on the performance of the US tech sector.

The Power of Compounding (A 10-Year Review)

Here’s a look at the average yearly performance of these three ETFs over the past 10 years (Oct 2016 – Oct 2026):

• VGT (Blue): 23.04% p.a. (+694.93%)

• QQQ (Orange): 19.55% p.a. (+496.19%)

• VOO (Green): 13.53% p.a. (+255.57%)

In other words, for every US$1,000 you invest in these ETFs in October 2016, they would right now be worth:

• VGT: $7,949.30

• QQQ: $5,961.90

• VOO: $3,555.70

^ As of 26 October 2026.

Because these funds have different sector allocations, their performances vary.

For instance, the tech-heavy VGT has historically outperformed VOO because it is heavily weighted toward a tech sector, which grew exponentially over the past decade.

This growth is much more impressive compared to the options we’re familiar with (ie. ASB, ASM, cash apps, FDs, etc.), but of course, the risks are also much higher.

So, what are the risks? ⚠️

1. Ringgit strength.

You’ll probably laugh when I say this, but there’s a chance of the ringgit strengthening against the US dollar over the next few decades. Although small, it is still a risk you should consider.

Even though the ringgit has weakened (gradually) from RM3.50 to RM4.20 over the past 15 years, it doesn’t mean that things will stay this way.

For all we know:

• The US could mess up its policies, causing people to lose confidence in the dollar (it’s already happening btw).

• Malaysia could do extremely well economically over the next decade, ushering in an “age of prosperity”.

• And many other “unforeseen” things that we would think is impossible to happen today.

In 2025, the ringgit gained 10.15% versus the dollar, mainly because the US reduced interest rates and Malaysia’s strong economic fundamentals.

This heavily affected my profits from the US sector.

Even though the QQQ ETF has gained 74% from Jan 2024 to Oct 2026, the real profit in ringgit is actually 56%. Which is still quite good, actually.

2. Uncertainty of what Trump will say (or do)

On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, beginning the war. Since then, it’s been back-and-forth between peace talks and renewed fighting.

One moment, Trump makes it sound like a peace deal is just around the corner.

The next, we’re back to threats of more strikes.

I honestly don’t know how many headlines about the Strait of Hormuz closing, reopening, closing, and then reopening I can keep up with.

So here’s the takeaway: We don’t know what the Orange Man is going to say or do next. Owning a basket of great companies doesn’t protect you from the market reacting to him.

If you’re investing in these ETFs hoping to quickly double the money you need soon (ie. wedding, car downpayment, etc.), be prepared for some fierce ups and downs. 

Your short-term expenses have a deadline. The market doesn’t owe you a recovery by then. ⚠️

3. Recessions

• The Dotcom Bubble

• The 1998 Asian Financial Crisis

• The 2008 Financial Crisis

• The Covid Pandemic

Crises are bound to happen. We just don’t know when and how bad.

In fact, we could be in a massive AI bubble right now, and you could be reading this article again a few months later, only to find out the market has tanked.

But one thing’s (almost) certain: The US market is resilient. It has proven time and time again to bounce back from major catastrophes, even recovering beyond its previous high point.

How I mitigate these risks: I invest long term.

Not 1 year. Not 5 years. But 10-20 years.

As long as the US continues to produce products that people need for their daily lives, I will stay true to my current thesis and continue investing no matter what happens in the short term.

Another way I mitigate risk is by diversifying. Members in the Telegram group know that I only allocate about 20-25% of my portfolio in the US.

Where I invest in ETFs

MooMoo, Rakuten, and M+ Global all offer the 3 ETFs I mentioned, but I’m using Rakuten because its fees are quite low if you buy between US$100 to US$500, which is perfect for investing monthly.

Rakuten also allows you to buy fractional shares, meaning you don’t have to buy an entire unit of QQQ (currently priced at US$624) if you want to invest.

You can go as low as 0.01. But don’t do this because there is a minimum brokerage charge of $0.88.

You can buy US ETFs just like regular shares during market opening hours (9.30 pm - 4.00 am MYT).

Other features and rewards from Rakuten

1) RM10 Activation Reward: Open & activate both Cash Upfront Account → Get 1,000 RT Points worth RM10.

2) RM0 for your first trade. Start trading Bursa stocks with RM0 brokerage on your first order.

3) Activate Regular Savings Plan (RSP) to invest automatically in selected US stocks or ETFs based on your preferred amount and schedule, starting from min. RM100.

If you’re interested to try out Rakuten and start investing, sign up with my referral code “THEFUTURIZTS” or click on this link:

DISCLAIMER: Investing in ETFs and stocks has its own risks as they are different from opening a deposit account with a financial institution. You should speak with a financial planner if you’re unsure of any investing decisions. ⚠️