According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, military spending around the world is rising rapidly, having reached $2.9 trillion in 2025. Europe has led the way in this growth, with a 14% year-over-year (YOY) increase in military spending from 2024 to 2025. Not only are Russia and Ukraine continuing to pour more money into the ongoing war in that region, but a broader rearmament trend is boosting NATO spending; European NATO member military spending rose at its fastest pace since 1953 last year.
For U.S. investors, the easiest access point to the global defense industry is via major domestic players that have an international presence, like RTX (NYSE: RTX). However, these plays don't provide direct access to the European market, a segment that can be difficult for investors in other regions to explore. Fortunately, a growing number of defense exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can provide diversified exposure in a ready-made, easy-access portfolio. Beware, though, that not all of these defense ETFs focus exclusively on European names.
