BCAT vs SPY
BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, BCAT or SPY?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. BCAT led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window.
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 | BCAT | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.41% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1.5B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 21.97% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 917 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +27.21%Best | +11.52% |
| 1Y Return | +28.70%Best | +17.48% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +23.49%Best | +20.62% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +8.66% | +12.73%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.7%Best | 15.4% |
| Max Drawdown | -36.1% | -24.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $15,148 | $18,205Best |
| Fund Family | BlackRock, Inc. (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 25, 2020 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 25, 2020 to Sep 10, 2026 (6 years).
BCAT 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 6 years both funds cover.
BCAT vs SPY Performance
BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust (BCAT) is an ETF from BlackRock, Inc. (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year BCAT returned +28.70% while SPY returned +17.48%. Year to date, BCAT is up 27.21% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Over three years, BCAT compounded at +23.49% per year against +20.62% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +8.66% and +12.73% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +16.49% annualized vs +9.30%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.4% compared with 14.7% for BCAT. 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 -36.1% for BCAT and -24.5% 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 0.80. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BCAT charges 1.41% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $141 vs $9 annually, a gap of $132 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BCAT currently yields 21.97% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 57.9% of SPY's money is in holdings BCAT also owns.
Stated as a floor: for BCAT, our book for it covers 66.2% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
The two holdings books were reported 216 days apart, BCAT as of Dec 31, 2025 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
90 positions in common, counted across the 316 positions we hold weights for in BCAT and 504 in SPY, against full books of 917 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BCAT | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 2.35% | 7.71% | 5.36% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 1.93% | 6.83% | 4.90% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 3.10% | 5.50% | 2.40% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 2.36% | 4.08% | 1.72% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.48% | 2.67% | 0.19% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 1.31% | 2.97% | 1.66% |
| METAMeta Platforms, Inc. | 0.93% | 1.94% | 1.01% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.14% | 1.51% | 0.37% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 1.24% | 1.33% | 0.09% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 0.68% | 1.38% | 0.70% |
57.9% of SPY is already inside BCAT.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, BCAT or SPY?
BCAT has an expense ratio of 1.41% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $132 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BCAT or SPY?
Over the past year BCAT returned +28.70% vs +17.48% for SPY, so BCAT leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), BCAT annualized +9.30% vs +16.49% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BCAT or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.4% annualized versus 14.7% for BCAT. Worst drawdown: BCAT -36.1% vs SPY -24.5%.
Should I hold both BCAT and SPY?
BCAT and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.80, 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 BCAT and SPY?
At least 57.9% of SPY's money is in holdings BCAT also owns. Our book for BCAT is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 90 positions in common, counted across the 316 positions we hold weights for in BCAT and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, BCAT or SPY?
BCAT yields 21.97% while SPY yields 0.98%, so BCAT currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BCAT?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. BCAT led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.