RING vs SPY
iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, RING or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. RING led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 69.9%.
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 | RING | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.39% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $2.6B | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.37% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 53 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +22.04%Best | +13.78% |
| 1Y Return | +61.63%Best | +21.44% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +61.66%Best | +21.38% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +28.66%Best | +12.80% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 38.5% | 14.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -80.2% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $35,255Best | $18,262 |
| Top 10 Weight | 69.9% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 31, 2012 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 2, 2012 to Sep 3, 2026 (14.6 years).
RING 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 14.6 years both funds cover.
RING vs SPY Performance
iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING) 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 RING returned +61.63% while SPY returned +21.44%. Year to date, RING is up 22.04% versus a gain of 13.78% for SPY.
Over three years, RING compounded at +61.66% per year against +21.38% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +28.66% and +12.80% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.42% annualized vs +4.59%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
RING has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 38.5% compared with 14.0% 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 -80.2% for RING 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 0.20. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
RING charges 0.39% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $39 vs $9 annually, a gap of $30 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RING currently yields 1.37% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
17.1% of RING's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's money is in holdings RING also owns.
RING and SPY share little of their money.
1 positions in common, counted across the 41 positions we hold weights for in RING and 504 in SPY, against full books of 53 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 495 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for RING (99.3% of the fund), and 4 for RING that do not appear in SPY (5.7%).
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 RING | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEMNewmont Corp Common | 17.08% | 0.16% | 16.92% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of RING 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, RING or SPY?
RING has an expense ratio of 0.39% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $30 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, RING or SPY?
Over the past year RING returned +61.63% vs +21.44% for SPY, so RING leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), RING annualized +4.59% vs +13.42% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, RING or SPY?
RING has been the more volatile fund at 38.5% annualized versus 14.0% for SPY. Worst drawdown: RING -80.2% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both RING and SPY?
RING and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.20, 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 RING and SPY?
17.1% of RING's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's is in holdings RING also owns. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 41 positions we hold weights for in RING and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, RING or SPY?
RING yields 1.37% while SPY yields 1.01%, so RING currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than RING?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. RING led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 69.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.