3 Dividend Growth ETFs to Buy With $500 and Hold Forever

One of the dominant early themes of 2026 has been the return of non-tech stocks. Investors have started to think twice about the potential impact of the AI boom and have begun rotating into more defensive and value-oriented areas of the market. That shift has also benefited dividend stocks in a big way. Strategies that involve long-term dividend growth aren't necessarily exciting, but under conditions where investors take risk off the table, they can, well, pay dividends. Where to invest $1,000 right now ...