VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A
VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A tracks the MarketVector Global Defense Industry index, providing equity exposure to defense and aerospace companies worldwide.
See below how EuroFolio members build portfolios around DFEN, and which ETFs they most commonly pair with it.
Investors frequently pair VanEck Defense UCITS ETF with precious metals, primarily gold-backed instruments like GOLD and 4GLD, which typically occupy 10 to 20 percent of these portfolios. Semiconductors and thematic equity ETFs such as NUKL and JEDI are also common companions, often representing 8 to 33 percent of holdings. These assets serve as a hedge against the inherent volatility of the defense sector while capturing growth in high-tech and energy-adjacent industries, effectively balancing the geopolitical sensitivity of DFEN with broader industrial and store-of-value exposure.
Patterns in the EuroFolio community suggest two distinct approaches to using DFEN. Conservative portfolios, such as the Iron Dome series, utilize a 25 percent allocation to DFEN as a core pillar alongside defensive assets to maintain a Sharpe ratio above 2.0. In contrast, more aggressive strategies, like the IPS portfolio, treat DFEN as a high-conviction growth engine, allocating up to 33 percent of the total portfolio to defense alongside other niche sectors. Regardless of the strategy, DFEN is rarely held in isolation, indicating that members view it as a tactical component within a wider thematic or global equity framework rather than a standalone investment.
AI analysis of below portfolio data from our community only · Not investment advice · May 2026