The best legacy that you can leave for your children are the shares of solid, dividend-paying blue-chip stocks.Such businesses will go on to do well over the long term and continue to dish out a stream of passive income that the next generation can enjoy.The key to selecting good blue-chip stocks is to look at the company’s business model, its track record, and strategies for growing its revenue and profits.With these criteria in mind, here are four reliable blue-chip stocks that you can own for life.

DBS Group (SGX: D05)

DBS is Singapore’s largest bank by market capitalisation and offers a comprehensive range of banking, insurance, and investment services.Buoyed by higher interest rates, the bank posted a stellar financial performance for 2024.Commercial book net interest income rose 5% year on year to S$15 billion while fee and commission income jumped 23% year on year to S$4.2 billion.As a result, total income for 2024 increased by 10% year on year to S$22.3 billion.Net profit came in at S$11.3 billion, up 12% year on year, and touched a record high.DBS’s loan book grew by 3% year on year to S$430.6 billion while its net interest margin (NIM) dipped slightly from 2.15% to 2.13%.In light of the strong performance, DBS upped its quarterly dividend from S$0.54 in the third quarter to S$0.60.In addition, the lender introduced a capital return dividend of S$0.15 per share per quarter for 2025 on top of its ordinary dividend.Management maintained a positive outlook for this year and expects non-interest income to grow by high-single-digits, led by wealth management and treasury customer sales.Net profit, however, is projected to be lower than 2024’s because of a global minimum tax rate of 15%.

Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX: S68)

Singapore Exchange Limited, or SGX, is Singapore’s only stock exchange operator.The group has done well for the first half of fiscal 2025 (1H FY2025) ending 31 December 2024.Net revenue climbed 15.6% year on year to S$646.4 million while adjusted net profit jumped 27.3% year on year to S$320.1 million.SGX raised its quarterly dividend from S$0.085 to S$0.09 in tandem with the good results.The group saw exchange-traded currencies and commodities volume climb 27.5% year on year to 66.3 million contracts.As for equity derivative volumes, these improved by 17.4% year on year to 91.2 million contracts for 1H FY2025.Looking ahead, management targets to grow its dividend per share by a mid-single-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the medium term.SGX is also confident that it can achieve a revenue CAGR of 6% to 8% over the same period.

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (SGX: C38U)

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, or CICT, is Singapore’s largest REIT by market capitalisation and owns a portfolio of 26 properties in Singapore (21), Germany (2) and Australia (3).The REIT’s assets under management amount to S$26 billion as of 31 December 2024.CICT pulled off an admirable performance for 2024 despite the twin headwinds of high inflation and elevated interest rates.Gross revenue inched up 1.7% year on year to S$1.6 billion while net property income rose 3.4% year on year to S$1.15 billion.Distribution per unit crept up 1.2% year on year to S$0.1088.Anchored by a strong sponsor in CapitaLand Investment Limited (SGX: 9CI), CICT also reported robust operating metrics.Committed portfolio occupancy stood high at 96.7% and the REIT reported a positive rent reversion of 8.8% and 11.1%, respectively, for its retail and office segments.CICT’s malls also saw tenant sales increase by 3.4% year on year in 2024 while shopper traffic improved by 8.7% year on year.The REIT is making solid progress on two asset enhancement initiatives in Singapore (IMM Building) and Germany (Gallileo) which should be completed by the end of 2025.United Overseas Bank (SGX: U11)United Overseas Bank, or UOB, is Singapore’s third-largest bank by market capitalisation.Like DBS, UOB is also a resilient player that has weathered numerous economic cycles.The lender announced a record profit for 2024 of S$6 billion, up 6% year on year, on the back of a 3% year-on-year increase in total income to S$14.3 billion.UOB’s loan book grew 5% year on year to S$337.8 billion but NIM saw a dip, going from 2.09% in 2023 to 2.03% in 2024.In tandem with the robust performance, UOB upped its final dividend to S$0.92, 8.2% higher than the S$0.85 paid out in 2023.2024’s total dividend came up to S$1.80, higher than the previous year’s S$1.70.In addition, the bank also announced a S$3 billion package to return excess capital to shareholders.A special dividend of S$0.50 is recommended and will be paid over two tranches to mark UOB’s 90^th anniversary.A S$2 billion new share buyback programme was also set up where shares will be purchased in the open market and then cancelled.Trade wars and tariffs don’t have to derail your investment goals. Join our webinar, “Your Secret Weapon To Fight The Tariff War,” to explore proven dividend strategies that help you grow and protect your portfolio, regardless of market conditions. Click here to register now.We’ve discovered 5 SGX stocks that not only offer better returns than fixed deposits but also have the potential to beat inflation. Plus, these stocks provide capital growth and can significantly compound your wealth in the long term. If you’re looking to make your money work harder for you, download our FREE report for details on these five stocks. Follow us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses!Disclosure: Royston Yang owns shares of DBS Group and Singapore Exchange Limited.