Been noticing a lot of portfolio anxiety lately with all the market swings we've seen this year. The VIX is up over 50% since January, and honestly, that's making a lot of people reconsider their approach. If you're sitting on positions but want to dial down the stress, there are some solid defensive plays worth exploring.

One thing that caught my attention is how dividend stocks actually behave when things get messy. They're not immune to selloffs, but they tend to hold their ground better because they're usually mature businesses with predictable cash flows. The Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is one of the best ETFs I've seen for this strategy. It's tracking 562 different dividend-paying stocks with above-average yields, and the expense ratio is basically nonexistent at 0.04%. The fund's sitting at about 1.7% dividend yield right now, which is pretty solid for income hunters.

What's interesting is the holdings. You're looking at established names like Broadcom, JPMorgan Chase, and ExxonMobil as the top positions. These aren't flashy tech plays—they're the kind of companies that keep paying dividends even when the market gets volatile. That's the whole point.

Now, there's another approach if you want to go even deeper into stability. The iShares MSCI U.S. Minimum Volatility Factor ETF (USMV) is specifically built for this. Instead of chasing dividends, it constructs a portfolio designed to minimize overall volatility. 170 stocks, expense ratio of 0.15%, and here's the key stat: it has a 3-year beta of 0.59. That means it typically moves about 40% less than the S&P 500. That's significant.

You'll find similar blue-chip names in USMV too—ExxonMobil, Duke Energy, Johnson & Johnson. The philosophy is different from VYM, but the outcome is similar: less dramatic swings.

So which of these best ETFs makes sense for you? Honestly, depends on whether you want income or pure downside protection. VYM leans income with built-in stability. USMV is the pure stability play. Both could work well in a long-term portfolio if you're trying to sleep better at night during uncertain times like these. If you're building a defensive core position, scanning these best ETFs might be worth your time.