Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has said “For most people, the best thing to do is to own the S&P 500 index.” So, what is the S&P 500 and how do you invest?
Key takeaways
The S&P 500 is an index that lists 500 leading US companies on the Nasdaq, NYSE and Cboe.
S&P 500 stocks have collectively yielded positive long-term returns.
You can buy stock in S&P 500 companies or invest in funds that track S&P 500 companies.
How to invest in the S&P 500 in Canada
Choose a trading platform. Compare things like fees and tradable assets of trading platforms that offer access to the S&P 500. For example, if you want to invest in an S&P 500 mutual fund, make sure the broker you choose offers mutual fund investing.
Open and fund an account. Complete an application with your personal details and link a bank account for funding.
Research investment options. Find the stock, ETF or mutual fund by name or ticker symbol and research it before deciding if it’s a good investment for you.
Purchase the security. Buy your desired number of shares with a market order or use a limit order to delay your purchase until the stock reaches a desired price.
Monitor your investment. Periodically check on your investment to make sure it’s aligned with your objectives.
What is the S&P 500?
The S&P 500 is a market capitalization-weighted stock market index of 500 leading US companies in the most prominent industries of the US economy, traded on either the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Nasdaq or Cboe.
The index was first introduced in 1957. Today, the S&P 500 covers approximately 90% of available market cap and is widely regarded as the best single measure of US stock market performance.
What stocks are in the S&P 500?
The S&P 500 includes some of the most recognizable and popular stocks in the world. The top ten constituents make up almost 36% of the entire S&P 500 with Microsoft alone representing over 6% of the total index. This is why when Microsoft is down, the entire index feels it. The top 10 constituents of the S&P 500 by index weight as of June 6, 2025 are:
The companies in the S&P 500 are hand-picked by the Index Committee. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the 500 biggest US stocks. Eligible companies must:
Be a US-based corporation with common stock
Have a market capitalization of at least $18 billion
Satisfy the SEC’s periodic reporting obligations
Have a primary stock listing on a major US exchange like the NYSE, Nasdaq or Cboe
Ineligible companies and share types include OTC Market (“pink sheets”) stocks, preferred shares, convertible bonds, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), ETFs, closed-end funds, investment trusts, limited partnerships (LPs), limited liability companies (LLCs) and special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs).
Closing prices are in USD
Two ways to invest in the S&P 500
You can’t invest directly in the S&P 500, as it’s just an index that tracks stock performance. It’s not a fund that holds stocks for investors. But there are a couple of ways you can invest in S&P 500 companies.
1. Buy shares of an S&P 500 ETF or mutual fund
The easiest way to invest in the S&P 500 is to invest in either an exchange-traded fund (ETF) or mutual fund that consists of stocks listed in the S&P 500. Funds that track an index like the S&P 500 are known as index funds.
S&P 500 index funds offer exposure to the index’s top constituents—Apple, Microsoft, Amazon etc.—and provide a great, low-cost way to diversify your portfolio. Since most funds should (in theory) achieve similar returns, performance may not be the most important factor when deciding where to invest. Pay close attention to expenses, which vary between funds.
Examples of low-cost S&P 500 ETFs and mutual funds
Fund
Ticker
Type
Expense ratio
Fidelity 500 Index Fund
FXAIX
Mutual fund
0.015%
Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund
SWPPX
Mutual fund
0.02%
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF
IVV
ETF
0.03%
SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF
SPLG
ETF
0.02%
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
VOO
ETF
0.03%
Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares
VFIAX
Mutual fund
0.04%
2. Buy S&P 500 stocks individually
An alternative way of investing in the S&P 500 is to buy individual stocks in companies listed in the index. This would mean buying and owning individual shares of the FAANG companies like Meta (Facebook), Apple, Amazon and so on.
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May 15, 2025: Coinbase’s stock surged on the news that the crypto platform will join the S&P 500 (replacing Discover Financial Services, which Capital One is acquiring). Coinbase stock slipped 7% the same week following a cyberhack that caused an estimated $400 million in losses.
May 7, 2025: The S&P 500 bumped up slightly following announcements that the Federal Reserve’s is holding the prime rate and that officials from the US and Chinese governments are soon meeting to discuss trade negotiations, Yahoo Finance reports.
April 8, 2025: The S&P 500 closed below 5,000 points, dropping 12% over six days as investors sold off following President Trump’s Liberation Day tariff announcement on April 2.
Is now a good time to invest in the S&P 500 in Canada?
Historically, over the past 10 years, the S&P 500 has seen an average annual growth rate of more than 10%. Since 2009, the index has been profitable every year except for 2015, 2018 and 2022.
However, with inflation, interest rates and economic instability concerning investors, the S&P 500 will mimic what the overall market is doing. Remember that the S&P 500 tracks large cap US companies, so if the overall US (and global) economy is down, indices that track the market will be as well.
Economic dips are temporary, and S&P 500 ETFs are focused on the long game. So far, the index has bounced back from every crash, bear market and recession in history. While no investments are immune to market downturns, many experts view the S&P 500 ETFs as likely to eventually bounce back.
Why should I invest in the S&P 500 index from Canada?
Access. The S&P 500 features some of the largest and most successful companies in the world and has historically given investors a decent return on their investment. For a stock to be considered for the S&P 500 it must have a market cap of at least $18 billion USD.
Diversification. Investing in the S&P 500 allows you to gain exposure to 500 different companies at once, which diversifies your portfolio. Diversification is important because if one stock in the index drops, your entire portfolio doesn’t necessarily drop too.
Convenience. The index itself aims to track the market, which makes it a convenient way to diversify your portfolio without having to buy and sell a number of individual stocks.
Keep in mind that the stocks in the index are all large, household name companies, which opens you up to the potential gains offered by large U.S. stocks. However, since the index is comprised of entirely U.S. companies, your portfolio will take a hit if the U.S. economy (and likely the global economy) suffers.
Pros and cons of investing in the S&P 500
Pros
Exposure to America’s leading companies. Gain exposure to America’s most influential companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google (Alphabet) with a single purchase.
Instant diversification. Buying a single share of an S&P 500 index fund will give you exposure to 500 companies, immediately diversifying your portfolio.
Competitive long-term performance. The S&P 500’s net total annualized return over the past decade is over 10% (as of May 2025).
Ease of investing. Unless you’re buying up individual stocks, buying shares of an S&P 500 index fund limits the amount of time you need to spend researching and gets you in the market quicker.
Cons
Only includes US companies. The S&P 500 includes only stocks of US companies and excludes companies in other parts of the world.
Only includes large-cap companies. The S&P 500 includes only large-cap stocks, so you won’t gain any exposure to small-cap or mid-cap stocks, which tend to grow at faster rates than their large-cap counterparts.
FX fees. Foreign exchange fees might apply when you buy and sell S&P 500 stocks.
No control over S&P 500 funds. You can’t tailor S&P 500 ETF or mutual fund investments to match your individual goals, as these funds are typically managed by professionals.
Finder survey: Are men or women more likely to have invested in the US stock market?
Response
Male
Female
US
53.04%
45.36%
Source: Finder survey by Pollfish of 1001 Canadians, January 2024
Bottom line
Investing in the S&P 500, specifically an S&P 500 index fund, is a great way to diversify your portfolio and grow steady wealth over time.
Investing in the S&P 500 is a great option for individual investors of any experience level.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index is often regarded as the Canadian version of the S&P 500 in the US. It tracks over 200 of the largest companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and represents the majority of the Canadian equities market.
Some companies listed in the S&P 500, such as Verizon (VZ), Dow Inc. (DOW) and Crown Castle (CCI), issue dividend-paying stocks, which you can buy if you want to earn a stream of investment revenue.
Some ETFs and mutual funds that hold shares in S&P 500 companies may also pay dividends, including the Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) and the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD). You can choose to have dividends paid out to you (as a "distribution") or have dividends rolled back in to your fund (known as "accumulation").
One of the best ways for beginners to invest in the S&P 500 in Canada is by buying shares of a cheap, passive ETF or index fund that tracks the index's performance. This is affordable and simple and saves you the trouble of hand-picking the best S&P 500 stocks to buy.
Important information: Powered by Finder.com. This information is general in nature and is no substitute for professional advice. It does not take into account your personal situation. This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, CFDs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for most investors. You do not own or have any interest in the underlying asset. Capital is at risk, including the risk of losing more than the amount originally put in, market volatility and liquidity risks. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Tax on profits may apply. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination for the product on the provider's website. Consider your own circumstances, including whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money and possess the relevant experience and knowledge. We recommend that you obtain independent advice from a suitably licensed financial advisor before making any trades.
Matt Miczulski is an investments editor at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions.
Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University. See full bio
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Matt has written 11 Finder guides across topics including:
Stacie Hurst is an editor at Finder, specializing in loans, banking, investing and money transfers. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Writing, and she has completed FP Canada Institute's Financial Management Course. Before working in the publishing industry, Stacie completed one year of law school in the United States. When not working, she can usually be found watching K-dramas or playing games with her friends and family. See full bio
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