IETC vs SPY
iShares US Tech Independence Focused ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IETC or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IETC led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, SPY over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 49.4%.
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 | IETC | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $686M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.38% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 106 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +6.58% | +10.96%Best |
| 1Y Return | +5.14% | +15.52%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +25.22%Best | +20.73% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.45%Best | +12.53% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 21.5% | 16.4%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -38.5% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,794Best | $18,044 |
| Top 10 Weight | 49.4% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 21, 2018 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 23, 2018 to Sep 16, 2026 (8.5 years).
IETC 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 8.5 years both funds cover.
IETC vs SPY Performance
iShares US Tech Independence Focused ETF (IETC) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year IETC returned +5.14% while SPY returned +15.52%. Year to date, IETC is up 6.58% versus a gain of 10.96% for SPY.
Over three years, IETC compounded at +25.22% per year against +20.73% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +13.45% and +12.53% respectively. Across the full 9-year window we track, IETC has the edge at +19.70% annualized vs +14.47%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IETC has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 21.5% compared with 16.4% 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 -38.5% for IETC and -34.1% 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 0.89. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IETC charges 0.18% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $9 annually, a gap of $9 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IETC currently yields 0.38% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
91.8% of IETC's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 49.5% of SPY's money is in holdings IETC also owns.
Most of IETC is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
69 positions in common, counted across the 109 positions we hold weights for in IETC and 504 in SPY, against full books of 106 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 428 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IETC (49.8% of the fund), and 32 for IETC that do not appear in SPY (7.5%).
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 IETC | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 13.74% | 8.01% | 5.73% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 3.69% | 7.26% | 3.57% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 8.06% | 2.66% | 5.40% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 1.94% | 5.66% | 3.72% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 5.34% | 1.60% | 3.74% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 2.87% | 3.79% | 0.92% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 4.84% | 1.14% | 3.70% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.94% | 2.99% | 0.05% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.43% | 2.39% | 0.04% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.03% | 1.93% | 0.10% |
91.8% of IETC 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.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, IETC or SPY?
IETC has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $9 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IETC or SPY?
Over the past year IETC returned +5.14% vs +15.52% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (9 years), IETC annualized +19.70% vs +14.47% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IETC or SPY?
IETC has been the more volatile fund at 21.5% annualized versus 16.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: IETC -38.5% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both IETC and SPY?
IETC and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.89, 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 IETC and SPY?
91.8% of IETC's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 49.5% of SPY's is in holdings IETC also owns. They hold 69 positions in common, counted across the 109 positions we hold weights for in IETC and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, IETC or SPY?
IETC yields 0.38% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IETC?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IETC led over 3Y, 5Y and the full window, SPY over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 49.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.