As a mother of three, one of my biggest daily dilemmas is deciding what to have for dinner. Everyone has a favourite dish: one prefers rice, while another wants noodles. But there is always one reliable, battle-tested meal that can be whipped up quickly, is guaranteed to keep the peace, and delivers without fail. In the world of investing, core holdings play the exact same role. While there are more than 600 companies listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX), only a handful serve as the steady “default dinners” of a portfolio. Here are five Singapore dividend stocks that can work as the backbone of a long-term income strategy.

DBS Group Holdings Ltd (SGX: D05)

As Singapore’s largest bank by assets, DBS is a prime anchor for any long-term income portfolio, offering regional financial exposure spanning consumer banking, wealth management, institutional banking, and treasury markets. In the first quarter of 2026 (1Q2026), DBS delivered a record total income of S$5.95 billion, up 1% year on year (YoY)....