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Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Author Bio

Tony turned a series of marijuana stock losses in 2017 into a self-employment venture, focused on helping retail investors build better portfolios with exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

He is the founder of ETF Portfolio Blueprint and the Lead ETF Analyst for ETF Central, a partnership between Trackinsight and the New York Stock Exchange. He also currently writes freelance for MoneySense, U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger, and 24/7 Wall St., and runs an investing-focused newsletter called The Dumb Money Dispatch with 3,300+ subscribers.

Outside of finance, Tony owns a small ranch in rural British Columbia, raising goats and chickens, and also volunteers as a wildland firefighter in his local community. His background includes service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist and stints in corporate security.

Education

  • Master of Science (MSc) in Enterprise Risk Management, Columbia University 
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminology, Simon Fraser University
  • Certified ETF Advisor (CETF®), The ETF Institute
  • Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), FINRA
  • Canadian Securities Course (CSC), Canadian Securities Institute

Areas of Expertise

ETFs, mutual funds, Berkshire Hathaway, indexing, dividend stocks, royalty trusts, REITs, infrastructure, aerospace & defence, passive income investing, portfolio construction, risk management, RRSPs & TFSAs.

Social Media Profiles

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzld96/

https://www.youtube.com/@okanaganhomesteader

Favorite Investment Quote

"Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1." - Warren Buffett 

Recent Articles

Blocks with a percent sign and green and red arrows on them.
Stocks for Beginners

What to Do With Your Investments When Interest Rates Change

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how interest rate changes affect stocks, bonds, and savings, and why long-term investors may be better off sticking with…

Read more »

ETF is short for exchange traded fund, a popular investment choice for Canadians
Stocks for Beginners

Your 30s, 40s and 50s: Retirement Priorities for Each Decade

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Explore retirement priorities for your 30s, 40s, and 50s, including how ZEQT, ZGRO, and ZBAL fit different stages of investing.

Read more »

woman stares at chocolate layer cake
Stocks for Beginners

Under 40 and Starting to Invest? Here’s Your Account Game Plan

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Starting to invest before 40? Learn how to prioritize emergency savings, employer matching contributions, TFSAs and RRSPs.

Read more »

hand stacking money coins
Dividend Stocks

Dividend Investing for Canadian Beginners: How It Works

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how dividend investing works in Canada, including yield calculations, payout sustainability, dividend taxes, and using ETFs like VDY.

Read more »

Hourglass projecting a dollar sign as shadow
Stocks for Beginners

How Long Does It Take $1,000 to Grow? Here’s a Realistic Look

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

See how $1,000 invested in XEQT could grow over time, how monthly contributions accelerate wealth building, and why consistency matters.

Read more »

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund
Stocks for Beginners

One ETF or Several? How Beginners Can Keep Their Portfolio Simple

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how to build a diversified portfolio and why all-in-one asset allocation ETFs can simplify investing.

Read more »

Traffic jam with rows of slow cars
Stocks for Beginners

The Hidden Catch of Locking Emergency Money in a GIC

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn the risks of locking emergency savings in a GIC and how cashable GICs and Canadian T-bill ETFs offer different…

Read more »

Piggy bank on a flying rocket
Investing

How to Start an Emergency Fund With Just $25 a Week

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how to build an emergency fund with just $25 a week using a high-interest savings account.

Read more »

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund
Stocks for Beginners

Got $1,000 to Invest? Here Are 3 Ways Canadians Can Start

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how Canadians can start investing $1,000 using three low-cost index ETFs for U.S., Canadian, and international stock market exposure.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Investing

Skip the GIC Wait: A 2.2% Monthly Payer to Consider – About $182 a Month on $100,000

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

This ETF pays monthly interest and has extremely minimal volatility.

Read more »

dreaming of financial success
Investing

Your Emergency Fund Goal Is Probably Too Low (Here’s the Math)

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Is six months of emergency savings enough? See how job loss, repairs, and medical bills can add up, and why…

Read more »

Woman running in front of pack in marathon
Dividend Stocks

The Risks of Chasing Dividend Income Too Fast

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn why chasing high dividend yields can hurt long-term returns through higher ETF fees, sector concentration, and taxes on distributions.

Read more »

A glass jar resting on its side with Canadian banknotes and change inside.
Investing

The Emergency Fund Rule of Thumb Most Canadians Get Wrong

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Is six months of emergency savings enough in 2026? Learn why Canadians may want a 12-month cushion and how to…

Read more »

dividends grow over time
Dividend Stocks

DRIPs Explained: How Reinvesting Dividends Can Grow Your Portfolio

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) help Canadian investors compound, with a historical example via an S&P 500 ETF.

Read more »

Thrilled women riding roller coaster at amusement park, enjoying fun outdoor activity.
Stocks for Beginners

Risk Tolerance Explained: How to Know How Much Volatility You Can Handle

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Learn how standard deviation measures historical investment volatility and how Canadian investors can use it to assess risk tolerance.

Read more »

man in bowtie poses with abacus
Stocks for Beginners

Can You Really Build Wealth From a Small Start? Here’s What the Math Says

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Discover how investing just $500 a month in XEQT could build meaningful wealth over time through diversification, reinvested dividends, and…

Read more »

pig shows concept of sustainable investing
Investing

Your Chequing Account Is Actually the Worst Home for Emergency Savings

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

With few exceptions, the interest rates offered by big bank chequing accounts tend to be poor.

Read more »

man in bowtie poses with abacus
Dividend Stocks

Passive Income From Dividends: What Canadians Can Realistically Expect

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Here's the actual dividend math the passive income gurus won't show you.

Read more »

A close up color image of a small green plant sprouting out of a pile of Canadian dollar coins "loonies."
Dividend Stocks

Building Your First Dividend Portfolio: Where Canadians Can Start

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Here's my dividend stock picking guide, along with a dividend ETF to make it hands-off.

Read more »

Piggy bank on a flying rocket
Investing

Why a TFSA Isn’t Just a Savings Account (and Why That Matters)

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

I think a name change to "Tax-Free Investment Account" (TFIA) could make a big difference.

Read more »

A worker drinks out of a mug in an office.
Dividend Stocks

Own BCE Stock? Here’s What You Need to Know About its Dividend

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

BCE's dividend is safe, but the company's share price could still remain under pressure.

Read more »

woman looks ahead of her over water
Dividend Stocks

Here’s Why I’d Rather Lean on My TFSA Than My RRSP for Passive Income

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

If passive income is your investment objective, a TFSA is likely the better account.

Read more »

open bank vault
Bank Stocks

Thinking About Bank Stocks? Here’s the Latest Investors Need to Know

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Canadian bank stocks have enjoyed a fantastic run, but shareholders should keep an eye on these two trends moving forward.

Read more »

ETF is short for exchange traded fund, a popular investment choice for Canadians
Dividend Stocks

This ETF Yields 12% and Pays You Monthly: Worth a Look?

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

MOAT is a highly unique monthly income ETF that sells put options on blue-chip companies with competitive advantages.

Read more »

Canadian investor contemplating U.S. stocks with multiple doors to choose from.
Investing

Here’s the Stock I’d Choose Over Telus or BCE Every Time

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

I trust Berkshire Hathaway infinitely more than any Canadian telecom stock.

Read more »

person on phone leaning against outside wall with scenic view at airbnb rental property
Dividend Stocks

Can You Still Count on Telus’s Dividend?

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Telus' dividend might be safer now, but the stock is still facing severe headwinds.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Dividend Stocks

94 Canadian Dividend Stocks That Just Keep Raising Their Payouts

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

This ETF only holds blue-chip Canadian stocks that have increased their dividends for at least five consecutive years.

Read more »

dividend growth for passive income
Dividend Stocks

Here’s How I’d Turn $25,000 in a TFSA Into Nearly Constant Income

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

This TSX income fund's fixed $0.1 per share monthly payout makes planning a breeze.

Read more »

TFSA (Tax free savings account) acronym on wooden cubes on the background of stacks of coins
Investing

Here’s How I’d Build the Perfect TFSA This August

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

A TFSA doesn't have to be complicated, and these two low-cost diversified ETFs prove it.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Dividend Stocks

Here’s a Monthly Income ETF Yielding 12% You Might Have Missed

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

MOAT is a highly unique Canadian monthly income ETF that pays a substantial yield.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Dividend Stocks

Want to Build Your Own Pension? Here’s How Canadian Dividend ETFs Can Help

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Canadian dividend ETFs can provide tax-efficient monthly income with built-in diversification and low fees.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Investing

Which Canadian Dividend ETFs Pay the Most?

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

There's a big difference between a true dividend ETF and a derivative income ETF.

Read more »

TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) on wooden blocks and Canadian one hundred dollar bills.
Dividend Stocks

Here’s the Only Stock I’d Hold Forever in My TFSA

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Berkshire Hathaway is the definition of a wonderful company at a fair price.

Read more »

customer uses bank ATM
Bank Stocks

Thinking About Bank Stocks? Here’s What to Know This August

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Bullish on the big banks? Here's what I would keep an eye on before buying more.

Read more »

woman stares at chocolate layer cake
Investing

Just Starting Out? Here Are Some TFSA Tips for 20-Year-Olds

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Younger investors have time on their side and using a TFSA can maximize that.

Read more »

ETF is short for exchange traded fund, a popular investment choice for Canadians
Investing

Why I Think This Canadian ETF Deserves a Spot in Everyone’s Portfolio

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

It really can be as easy as "just buy XEQT"

Read more »

diversification is an important part of building a stable portfolio
Dividend Stocks

Here’s What’s Really Happening With Telus’s Dividend

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Telus cut its dividend as predicted, but the stock still isn't out of the woods.

Read more »

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund
Investing

Here Are 3 Canadian ETFs I’d Hold in My TFSA for Years

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

These Canadian ETFs from BMO provide broad diversification, lower risk, and monthly dividends.

Read more »

man touches brain to show a good idea
Investing

Here’s the TFSA Mistake I See Canadians Make All the Time

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

U.S. stocks and ETFs held in a TFSA will lose 15% of their dividends to foreign withholding tax.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Investing

Want Instant Diversification? Here Are 3 Canadian ETFs I’d Buy

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

This 3-ETF combo covers U.S., Canadian, and international developed equity markets.

Read more »