PLTU vs SPY
Direxion Daily PLTR Bull 2X ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, PLTU or SPY?
Trading-Leveraged Equity against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. PLTU led over the full window, SPY over 1Y.
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 | PLTU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.97% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $505M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 63.63% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 10 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -26.53% | +12.71%Best |
| 1Y Return | -23.23% | +19.36%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.09% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.69% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 126.0% | 12.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -79.4% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.7 years | $22,002Best | $12,791 |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Trading-Leveraged Equity | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 11, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.7 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 8, 2026 (1.7 years).
PLTU 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 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.
PLTU vs SPY Performance
Direxion Daily PLTR Bull 2X ETF (PLTU) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year PLTU returned -23.23% while SPY returned +19.36%. Year to date, PLTU is down 26.53% versus a gain of 12.71% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PLTU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 126.0% compared with 12.6% 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 -79.4% for PLTU and -18.8% 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 0.13. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PLTU charges 0.97% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $97 vs $9 annually, a gap of $88 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PLTU currently yields 63.63% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.6% of SPY's money is in holdings PLTU also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PLTU, our book for it covers 79.1% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 4 positions we hold weights for in PLTU and 503 in SPY, against full books of 10 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in PLTU | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 22.06% | 0.56% | 21.50% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PLTU and SPY 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, PLTU or SPY?
PLTU has an expense ratio of 0.97% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $88 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PLTU or SPY?
Over the past year PLTU returned -23.23% vs +19.36% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), PLTU annualized +59.02% vs +15.58% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PLTU or SPY?
PLTU has been the more volatile fund at 126.0% annualized versus 12.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: PLTU -79.4% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both PLTU and SPY?
PLTU and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.13, 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, PLTU or SPY?
PLTU yields 63.63% while SPY yields 1.01%, so PLTU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than PLTU?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. PLTU led over the full window, SPY over 1Y. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.