<div id="readability-page-1">close Most people who delay investing aren't doing so because they think putting their money into the markets is a bad idea. They're stuck in front of a confusing smorgasbord of options, afraid to pile the wrong things on their plate and at least a little afraid of looking like they don't know what they're doing (especially if it's true). Thus, analysis paralysis is often the default.  Have no fear. There's a quick and simple way to build a sensible portfolio by using a small handful of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). So, without further ado, let's get some clarity over what's going to go into this portfolio and how much of an allocation each ETF should get.  For a portfolio to count as being both good and easy, it needs to be anchored with a hearty helping of market-tracking index funds. That way, you'll get exposure to growth and quite a lot of diversification, which will help to insulate you from all sorts of risks.  COULD S&amp;P 500 ETFS ALONE FUND YOUR ENTIRE RETIREMENT?  Therefore, 65% of the portfolio could be allocated to the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF, and 20% could be allocated to the iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF.  The Vanguard ETF has an expense ratio of just 0.03% annually and tracks the performance of the biggest public companies listed in the U.S., whereas the iShares ETF has an annual expense ratio of 0.07% and tracks the performance of the biggest international companies, explicitly not including those in the U.S.  The point of having both of these in the portfolio is that you'll be diversified across business sectors and across geographies, which reduces the chance that problems in the U.S. or any other specific country will drag down your portfolio's performance as a whole.  Those two ETFs focus on stocks. A well-rounded and sufficiently diversified portfolio also needs some exposure to bonds to ensure that it has a fairly safe source of yield when times get tough, and to cryptocurrency, as it isn't represented well in any of the other ETFs.  GOLDMAN SACHS COMPLETES INNOVATOR CAPITAL ACQUISITION, LIFTING ETF ASSETS TO $90B  Thus, you could also allocate 10% of the portfolio to the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF and 5% to the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF.  In a nutshell, BND is crash insurance. It holds more than 17,000 U.S. investment-grade bonds for an annual expense ratio of just 0.03%. Its trailing-12-month yield is only 3.9%, but it isn't intended to be a major growth driver for your portfolio anyway.  The Bitcoin Trust position provides exposure to spot bitcoin as the name implies. The point of owning it is that it'll help you to benefit from the cryptocurrency's status as a scarce store of value, and it might help to guard your portfolio against inflation too. It'll cost you a bit more than the other ETFs, with an expense ratio of 0.25%, but the potential growth that it offers is worth the price.  This portfolio can hum along for years without any intervention from you. But there is one thing you can do to slightly boost its performance.  VANGUARD FUND STRIPS OUT CHINA IN EMERGING MARKETS INVESTMENT PLAY  Once a year, open your brokerage or retirement account and compare each fund's current weighting to its allocation target described above.  If any position has drifted by more than five percentage points from its target allocation, it's wise to sell a little of the winner and buy a little of the laggard. You're selling high and buying low, and that's the entire (mostly voluntary) maintenance obligation. Inside a tax-advantaged account like a Roth IRA or a 401(k), rebalancing triggers no tax consequences, and many brokerages can even automate the process for target-weight portfolios if that's something that interests you.  GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE  Start with whatever amount of capital you have on hand, add to your holdings in the proper proportions when you can, rebalance the portfolio once a year and let time in the market do the rest of the work. The longer you're willing to let this money grow, the better off you're likely to be.  Alex Carchidi has positions in Bitcoin and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF, Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.</div>

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<p>This article outlines a beginner-friendly ETF portfolio that requires minimal maintenance while aiming for long-term growth. It suggests allocating 65% to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, 20% to the iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF, 10% to the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF, and 5% to the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. The portfolio emphasizes diversification across sectors and geographies, with a simple annual rebalancing strategy to maintain target allocations. The approach is designed to be straightforward for new investors, allowing them to grow their investments over time with minimal intervention.</p>

- Many potential investors delay due to confusion over their options, leading to analysis paralysis.  
- A recommended simple portfolio includes 65% in the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, 20% in the iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF, 10% in the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF, and 5% in the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF to ensure diversification across sectors and geographies.  
- Investors should rebalance their portfolio annually to maintain the target allocations, thus optimizing long-term growth.

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CoinShares Bitcoin ETF

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Bitwise Bitcoin ETF

ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF

Roundhill Bitcoin Covered Call Strategy ETF

SPDR S&P 500

iShares Core Intl Stock

Vanguard Long Term Bd

iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF

VanEck Bitcoin ETF

ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF

iShares Core S&P 500

Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund - ETF

VG S&P 500

S&P 500

Goldman Sachs

GS Hldg R

A beginner-friendly ETF portfolio that requires almost no maintenance and delivers long-term results