IXN vs SPY
iShares Global Tech ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IXN or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IXN 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 60.5%.
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 | IXN | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.37% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $9.5B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.78% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 145 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +33.17%Best | +11.52% |
| 1Y Return | +44.50%Best | +17.48% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +33.01%Best | +20.62% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +19.51%Best | +12.73% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 20.9% | 14.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -56.3%Best | -56.5% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $24,379Best | $18,205 |
| Top 10 Weight | 60.5% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 12, 2001 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 16, 2001 to Sep 10, 2026 (24.8 years).
IXN 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 24.8 years both funds cover.
IXN vs SPY Performance
iShares Global Tech ETF (IXN) 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 IXN returned +44.50% while SPY returned +17.48%. Year to date, IXN is up 33.17% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Over three years, IXN compounded at +33.01% per year against +20.62% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +19.51% and +12.73% respectively. Across the full 25-year window we track, IXN has the edge at +11.75% annualized vs +8.24%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IXN has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.9% compared with 14.8% 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 -56.3% for IXN and -56.5% 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 0.89. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IXN charges 0.37% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $37 vs $9 annually, a gap of $28 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IXN currently yields 0.78% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
75.6% of IXN's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 37.6% of SPY's money is in holdings IXN also owns.
Most of IXN is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
74 positions in common, counted across the 128 positions we hold weights for in IXN and 504 in SPY, against full books of 145 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 420 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IXN (61.9% of the fund), and 2 for IXN that do not appear in SPY (0.7%).
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 IXN | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 13.09% | 7.71% | 5.38% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 12.69% | 6.83% | 5.86% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 7.94% | 5.50% | 2.44% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.89% | 2.97% | 1.92% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.08% | 1.51% | 2.57% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. | 3.31% | 1.27% | 2.04% |
| INTCIntel Corp. | 2.12% | 0.72% | 1.40% |
| AMATApplied Materials, Inc. | 1.73% | 0.65% | 1.08% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 1.66% | 0.72% | 0.94% |
| LRCXLam Research Corp | 1.61% | 0.60% | 1.01% |
75.6% of IXN 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, IXN or SPY?
IXN has an expense ratio of 0.37% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $28 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IXN or SPY?
Over the past year IXN returned +44.50% vs +17.48% for SPY, so IXN leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (25 years), IXN annualized +11.75% vs +8.24% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IXN or SPY?
IXN has been the more volatile fund at 20.9% annualized versus 14.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: IXN -56.3% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both IXN and SPY?
IXN 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 IXN and SPY?
75.6% of IXN's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 37.6% of SPY's is in holdings IXN also owns. They hold 74 positions in common, counted across the 128 positions we hold weights for in IXN and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, IXN or SPY?
IXN yields 0.78% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IXN?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IXN 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 60.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.