PBEU vs QQQ
Portfolio Building Block European Banks Index ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, PBEU or QQQ?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
PBEU has a lower expense ratio. PBEU led over 1Y. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.7%.
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 | PBEU | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.13%Best | 0.18% |
| AUM | $428M | $437.3B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.01% | 0.43% |
| Holdings | 114 | 208 |
| YTD Return | +6.43% | +7.37%Best |
| 1Y Return | +20.83%Best | +7.77% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.44% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +11.19% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 23.2%Best | 23.9% |
| Top 10 Weight | 60.7% | 46.9%Best |
| Fund Family | Portfolio Building Block ETFs | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Nov 24, 2025 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
PBEU vs QQQ 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
PBEU vs QQQ Performance
Portfolio Building Block European Banks Index ETF (PBEU) is an ETF from Portfolio Building Block ETFs and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year PBEU returned +20.83% while QQQ returned +7.77%. Year to date, PBEU is up 6.43% versus a gain of 7.37% for QQQ.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 23.9% compared with 23.2% for PBEU. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.46. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PBEU charges 0.13% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $13 vs $18 annually, a gap of $5 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PBEU currently yields 0.01% against 0.43% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 54 holdings in PBEU and 101 in QQQ, totalling 100.0% and 99.7% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 54 positions we hold weights for in PBEU and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 114 and 208.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 94 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for PBEU (97.2% of the fund), and 2 for PBEU that do not appear in QQQ (9.6%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PBEU and QQQ you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, PBEU or QQQ?
PBEU has an expense ratio of 0.13% while QQQ charges 0.18%. PBEU is the cheaper option, by $5 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PBEU or QQQ?
Over the past year PBEU returned +20.83% vs +7.77% for QQQ, so PBEU leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PBEU or QQQ?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 23.9% annualized versus 23.2% for PBEU.
Should I hold both PBEU and QQQ?
PBEU and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.46, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, PBEU or QQQ?
PBEU yields 0.01% while QQQ yields 0.43%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than PBEU?
PBEU has a lower expense ratio. PBEU led over 1Y. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.