IPAY vs SPY
Amplify Digital Payments ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IPAY or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.6%.
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 | IPAY | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.75% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $187M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.82% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 86 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -0.32% | +13.34%Best |
| 1Y Return | -13.03% | +19.97%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +7.37% | +21.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -6.21% | +12.81%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 23.2% | 15.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -51.8% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $7,257 | $18,270Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 55.6% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Amplify ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 15, 2015 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 16, 2015 to Sep 4, 2026 (11.1 years).
IPAY 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 11.1 years both funds cover.
IPAY vs SPY Performance
Amplify Digital Payments ETF (IPAY) is an ETF from Amplify ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year IPAY returned -13.03% while SPY returned +19.97%. Year to date, IPAY is down 0.32% versus a gain of 13.34% for SPY.
Over three years, IPAY compounded at +7.37% per year against +21.20% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -6.21% and +12.81% respectively. Across the full 11-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.02% annualized vs +6.78%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IPAY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 23.2% compared with 15.2% 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 -51.8% for IPAY 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 0.83. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IPAY charges 0.75% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $75 vs $9 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IPAY currently yields 0.82% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
56.1% of IPAY's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 2.4% of SPY's money is in holdings IPAY also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
11 positions in common, counted across the 41 positions we hold weights for in IPAY and 504 in SPY, against full books of 86 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 485 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IPAY (97.0% of the fund), and 16 for IPAY that do not appear in SPY (27.3%).
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 IPAY | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PYPLPaypay Holdings, Inc. | 7.04% | 0.08% | 6.96% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 5.89% | 0.92% | 4.97% |
| MAMastercard Inc | 6.03% | 0.69% | 5.34% |
| COFCapital One Financial Corp. | 6.16% | 0.21% | 5.95% |
| AXPAmerican Express Co. | 5.76% | 0.28% | 5.48% |
| GPNGlobal Payments Inc. | 5.06% | 0.03% | 5.03% |
| CPAYCorpay Inc | 4.75% | 0.04% | 4.71% |
| SQBlock Inc | 4.46% | 0.07% | 4.39% |
| FISFidelity National Information Srvcs Inc | 4.06% | 0.03% | 4.03% |
| FIFiserv, Inc. (United States) | 3.76% | 0.04% | 3.72% |
56.1% of IPAY 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, IPAY or SPY?
IPAY has an expense ratio of 0.75% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IPAY or SPY?
Over the past year IPAY returned -13.03% vs +19.97% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (11 years), IPAY annualized +6.78% vs +13.02% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IPAY or SPY?
IPAY has been the more volatile fund at 23.2% annualized versus 15.2% for SPY. Worst drawdown: IPAY -51.8% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both IPAY and SPY?
IPAY and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.83, 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 IPAY and SPY?
56.1% of IPAY's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 2.4% of SPY's is in holdings IPAY also owns. They hold 11 positions in common, counted across the 41 positions we hold weights for in IPAY and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, IPAY or SPY?
IPAY yields 0.82% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IPAY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.