RSBA vs SPY
Return Stacked Bonds & Merger Arbitrage ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, RSBA or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window.
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 | RSBA | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.01% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $52M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.91% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 16 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -4.13% | +13.51%Best |
| 1Y Return | -6.18% | +18.19%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +23.29% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.21% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.2%Best | 12.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -8.3%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 1.8 years | $9,978 | $13,497Best |
| Fund Family | Return Stacked ETF | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | - | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 17, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.8 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 18, 2024 to Sep 25, 2026 (1.8 years).
RSBA 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 1.8 years both funds cover.
RSBA vs SPY Performance
Return Stacked Bonds & Merger Arbitrage ETF (RSBA) is an ETF from Return Stacked ETF and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year RSBA returned -6.18% while SPY returned +18.19%. Year to date, RSBA is down 4.13% versus a gain of 13.51% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.6% compared with 5.2% for RSBA. 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 -8.3% for RSBA 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 0.11. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
RSBA charges 1.01% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $101 vs $9 annually, a gap of $92 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RSBA currently yields 2.91% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.1% of SPY's money is in holdings RSBA also owns.
Stated as a floor: for RSBA, our book for it covers 88.7% 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 10 positions we hold weights for in RSBA and 504 in SPY, against full books of 16 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in RSBA | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSXBoston Scientific Corp. | -1.94% | 0.11% | 2.05% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of RSBA 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, RSBA or SPY?
RSBA has an expense ratio of 1.01% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $92 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, RSBA or SPY?
Over the past year RSBA returned -6.18% vs +18.19% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), RSBA annualized -0.12% vs +18.13% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, RSBA or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 5.2% for RSBA. Worst drawdown: RSBA -8.3% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both RSBA and SPY?
RSBA and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.11, 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, RSBA or SPY?
RSBA yields 2.91% while SPY yields 0.98%, so RSBA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than RSBA?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.