AIBU vs SPY
Direxion Daily AI and Big Data Bull 2X ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, AIBU or SPY?
Leverage Strategy against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. AIBU led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 64.4%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | AIBU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.96% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $26M | $811.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.65% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 76 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +45.91%Best | +12.70% |
| 1Y Return | +34.43%Best | +15.53% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.86% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.47% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 55.2% | 11.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -51.2% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.4 years | $29,118Best | $14,898 |
| Top 10 Weight | 64.4% | 38.2%Best |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Leverage Strategy | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 15, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 15, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026 (2.4 years).
AIBU vs SPY growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 2.4 years both funds cover.
AIBU vs SPY Performance
Direxion Daily AI and Big Data Bull 2X ETF (AIBU) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year AIBU returned +34.43% while SPY returned +15.53%. Year to date, AIBU is up 45.91% versus a gain of 12.70% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
AIBU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 55.2% compared with 11.6% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -51.2% for AIBU and -18.8% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.87. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
AIBU charges 0.96% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $96 vs $9 annually, a gap of $87 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, AIBU currently yields 1.65% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
63.8% of AIBU's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 36.1% of SPY's money is in holdings AIBU also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
15 positions in common, counted across the 33 positions we hold weights for in AIBU and 504 in SPY, against full books of 76 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 482 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for AIBU (63.1% of the fund), and 14 for AIBU that do not appear in SPY (31.9%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in AIBU | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 5.66% | 7.78% | 2.12% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 5.43% | 7.45% | 2.02% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 6.98% | 5.71% | 1.27% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 5.58% | 3.78% | 1.80% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 5.48% | 3.12% | 2.36% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 3.36% | 2.22% | 1.14% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.04% | 2.48% | 0.56% |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 4.28% | 0.61% | 3.67% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.25% | 1.22% | 2.03% |
| IBMInternational Business Machines Corp. | 3.82% | 0.36% | 3.46% |
63.8% of AIBU is already inside SPY.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, AIBU or SPY?
AIBU has an expense ratio of 0.96% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $87 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, AIBU or SPY?
Over the past year AIBU returned +34.43% vs +15.53% for SPY, so AIBU leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), AIBU annualized +56.10% vs +18.07% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, AIBU or SPY?
AIBU has been the more volatile fund at 55.2% annualized versus 11.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: AIBU -51.2% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both AIBU and SPY?
AIBU and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.87, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between AIBU and SPY?
63.8% of AIBU's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 36.1% of SPY's is in holdings AIBU also owns. They hold 15 positions in common, counted across the 33 positions we hold weights for in AIBU and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, AIBU or SPY?
AIBU yields 1.65% while SPY yields 0.98%, so AIBU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than AIBU?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. AIBU led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 64.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.