VONG: Could This Growth ETF Make You a Millionaire?

By Ben Gran – Mar 16, 2026 at 4:00PM ESTKey PointsSimple low-cost ETFs can help you reach millionaire status if you’re a long-term investor.The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF has outperformed stock market averages for the past 15 years.With consistent $500 monthly investments, this ETF could build a million-dollar portfolio in 22 years.If you want to become a millionaire, one of the best ways is to buy stocks and watch your investments grow over the years with the power of compound interest. You might need less money than you think. One of the easiest investment strategies to try to achieve this goal is to buy growth stock ETFs.

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG +1.18%) is a popular ETF that lets you own hundreds of large U.S. growth stocks at a low cost. For the past several years, this fund has delivered the potential for millionaire-making returns for its investors. Let's take a closer look at how investing in the VONG could make you a millionaire over time. Image source: Getty Images. What is the Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG)?

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF holds a select group of 391 large U.S. companies. Because the goal of this fund is to offer high investment growth potential, it tends to hold many technology stocks. Looking at the fund's portfolio by sector, Technology makes up 59.7% of the ETF's holdings. Consumer Discretionary stocks are a distant second, with 17.5% of the fund. ExpandNASDAQ: VONGVanguard Scottsdale Funds - Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETFToday's Change(1.18%) $1.33Current Price$114.14Key Data PointsDay's Range$113.73 - $114.8552wk Range$79.39 - $126.83Volume3.3M As is typical for Vanguard ETFs, the VONG charges low fees. This ETF has an expense ratio of only 0.06%. So that means if you invest $1,000 in this fund, the cost that you pay to Vanguard each year will be only $0.60. Want to know which actual stocks you'll get to buy with the VONG? The ETF's top five holdings are all major tech names: Nvidia (12.7% of the fund), Apple (10.8%), Microsoft (9.2%), Amazon (4.8%), and Broadcom (4.6%). Is the VONG a millionaire-maker ETF? If you're a long-term investor, the stock market has delivered average annualized returns of 9% to 10%.

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF has done even better. Ever since its inception in September 2010, the VONG has delivered average annual returns of 16.5%. With that powerful annualized growth rate, your investments could reach millionaire status faster than you might think. Let's say you invest $500 per month in the VONG, and your investment grows at that same average rate of 16.5% returns per year. After 15 years, you'd have about $323,000. After 20 years, you'd have about $735,000. After 22 years, you'd have over $1 million. Keep in mind that past performance is no guarantee of future results. The VONG has performed so well for the past 15 years because U.S. technology stocks have outperformed the rest of the market. With recent investor skepticism toward artificial intelligence (AI) stocks and concerns about AI's impact on the U.S. tech industry, that trend might not last forever. But the biggest takeaway here is that a simple, low-cost, long-term stock ETF like the VONG really could make you a millionaire. Just keep investing and let compound interest work for you.Read NextMar 3, 2026 •By Katie BrockmanVONG vs. VOOG: How These Similar Large-Cap Growth ETFs Compare for InvestorsFeb 10, 2026 •By David Jagielski, CPA2 Vanguard ETFs That Could Turn $400 Per Month Into $1 MillionJan 26, 2026 •By Adé HennisIWO vs. VONG: How Does A Small Cap Growth Compare Against A Large Cap Growth FundJan 24, 2026 •By Robert IzquierdoBetter Vanguard Growth ETF: MGK vs. VONGJan 17, 2026 •By Jake LerchGrowth-Oriented ETFs: VONG Has Lower Fees, While IWY Has Delivered Higher ReturnsJan 12, 2026 •By Katie BrockmanVONG vs. SCHG: Which of These Popular Growth ETFs Is the Better Choice for Investors?About the AuthorBen Gran is a contributing analyst at The Motley Fool, covering publicly traded companies in consumer goods, technology, transportation, industrials, materials, and energy. He is a longtime freelance finance writer with 15+ years of experience writing for publications like Forbes Advisor, Motley Fool Money, and Business Insider, and corporate websites of Prudential and regional banks. Ben also ghostwrites books and bylines for CEOs and other business thought leaders. He earned his B.A. in History from Rice University. Ben is an avid international traveler and has visited 12 countries (and counting).TMFBenjaminGranStocks MentionedVanguard Scottsdale Funds - Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETFNASDAQ: VONG$114.14(+1.18%)+$1.33MicrosoftNASDAQ: MSFT$399.84(+1.08%)+$4.29AppleNASDAQ: AAPL$252.82(+1.08%)+$2.70AmazonNASDAQ: AMZN$211.67(+1.93%)+$4.00NvidiaNASDAQ: NVDA$183.19(+1.63%)+$2.94BroadcomNASDAQ: AVGO$324.85(+0.83%)+$2.69*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.