3 Nuclear ETFs to Buy After the Sale

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More than a year after the federal government revived nuclear power, the industry is building momentum thanks to a streamlined reactor approval process, an ambitious goal of 300 gigawatt capacity by 2050, and more. Time is of the essence, as the demand for AI electricity continues to grow and low-carbon energy production through nuclear power plants is very attractive in these circumstances.

Of course, challenges remain: obtaining the highly enriched uranium (HALEU) needed for some next-generation reactors is difficult, and supply chain limitations and production capacity, labor shortages, and the licensing process can all limit the industry’s ability to deliver nuclear power quickly. However, as the industry continues to develop and grow, a number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can expose investors to more growth opportunities in the nuclear industry. Now may be a good time to explore these options, as a sell-off in the industry in 2026 after the previous run was successful could present buying opportunities.

Table of Contents

Selected basket of Global Nuclear Stocks

VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF Today

NLR

VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF

$104.20 -0.47 (-0.45%)

As of 07/17/2026 04:10 PM Eastern

52 week interval

$101.92

▼

$168.12

Dividend Yield

3.03%

Assets Under Administration

$3.73 billion

I VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF NYSEARCA: NLR is one of the oldest nuclear industry ETFs on the market, launched in the summer of 2007. The fund’s staying power may be due to its broad strategy within the industry, which allows access to the full process of nuclear energy production from the acquisition and production of inputs to companies that operate power plants and more.

NLR achieves this mix despite its small basket of 32 stocks. With a targeted portfolio like this, investors should expect that certain names will receive large dividends, and indeed, the largest positions here reach 8% or more. However, given its global focus, NLR is able to consolidate its assets into the most stable, high-performance nuclear reactors available worldwide, targeting both scope and quality.

Like most nuclear funds, year-to-date (YTD) performance for NLR is in the red: the ETF is down about 12% through 2026. This industry-wide price reset could provide an opportunity, although investors should be willing to accept an NLR expense ratio of 0.56% while waiting for momentum to build again.

Unique Play for Uranium Miners with a Commodity Twist

Sprott Uranium Miners ETF today

URNM

Sprott Uranium Miners ETF share price

$48.22 -0.55 (-1.13%)

As of 07/17/2026 04:10 PM Eastern

52 week interval

$43.10

▼

$84.95

Assets Under Administration

$1.73 billion

For a more targeted play on uranium itself, investors may consider it Sprott Uranium Miners ETF share price NYSEARCA: URNM. The fund invests primarily in companies involved in the uranium mining industry, including those that explore for, develop, produce, or mine physical uranium. This industry is a niche one, and URNM has only 31 screen-based locations worldwide. Given the significant overlap between URNM’s portfolio and NRL’s holdings, it is unlikely that investors would want to hold both funds at the same time.

The three positions in the URNM basket account for nearly half of the fund’s total assets, combined. These include uranium suppliers Company Cameco Corp. NYSE: CCJ again NexGen Energy NYSE: NXEbut the third stands out: it is the position in the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, which holds physical uranium. Therefore, URNM is a component of uranium itself. This may help explain why the fund is more expensive than most of its nuclear counterparts, with an average expense ratio of 0.75%.

Despite the YTD decline, URNM provides a paid a dividend of 2.59 %., the benefit of inaction as the nuclear industry is in the midst of a reset.

An Alternative to Uranium with Outstanding Separation Yields

Global X Uranium ETF today

URA

Global X Uranium ETF

$38.73 -0.38 (-0.97%)

As of 07/17/2026 04:10 PM Eastern

52 week interval

$35.64

▼

$62.28

Dividend Yield

5.37%

Assets Under Administration

$5.38 billion

URNM competition, i Global X Uranium ETF NYSEARCA: URA and focuses on the fundamentals of nuclear power. However, URA acquires uranium through shares of companies involved in mining and production, rather than through any form of direct investment in the asset itself. URA has the broadest portfolio of the three ETFs, with around 56 stocks from developed markets around the world. Still, in some ways, it’s also very concentrated: Cameco shares make up about a quarter of the fund.

URA’s expense ratio of 0.69% is between the two fees above, and it has a strong asset base of $5.7 billion and a sweet trading value to match. This makes the fund attractive to investors who want the flexibility to make regular trades without worrying about liquidity. It may also feature the ETF’s strong dividend yield of 5.26%. Although UFA has fallen again so far this year, it has held up better than other uranium-focused funds on this list.

Before considering the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF, you’ll want to hear this.

MarketBeat tracks Wall Street’s top and most effective research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients every day. MarketBeat identified five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy before the broader market catches on… and the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF was not on the list.

Although the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF currently has a hold rating among analysts, senior analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View Five Stocks Here