SPEU vs SPY
State Street SPDR Portfolio Europe ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, SPEU or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPEU has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPEU is less concentrated, with 17.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | SPEU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.07%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $733M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.32% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 1,737 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +5.70% | +12.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | +13.62% | +16.73%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +17.91% | +22.52%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +8.26% | +13.07%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.1% | 14.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -64.5% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,871 | $18,481Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 17.4%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | SPDR State Street Global Advisors | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 15, 2002 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 21, 2002 to Sep 23, 2026 (23.9 years).
SPEU 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 23.9 years both funds cover.
SPEU vs SPY Performance
State Street SPDR Portfolio Europe ETF (SPEU) is an ETF from SPDR State Street Global Advisors and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SPEU returned +13.62% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, SPEU is up 5.70% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Over three years, SPEU compounded at +17.91% per year against +22.52% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +8.26% and +13.07% respectively. Across the full 24-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.71% annualized vs +3.89%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPEU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.1% compared with 14.5% 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 -64.5% for SPEU 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 0.84. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPEU charges 0.07% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $7 vs $9 annually, a gap of $2 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPEU currently yields 3.32% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
0.2% of SPEU's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.4% of SPY's money is in holdings SPEU also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 154 days apart, SPEU as of Mar 31, 2026 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
4 positions in common, counted across the 1,665 positions we hold weights for in SPEU and 504 in SPY, against full books of 1,737 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 493 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for SPEU (99.0% of the fund), and 40 for SPEU that do not appear in SPY (5.8%).
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 SPEU 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, SPEU or SPY?
SPEU has an expense ratio of 0.07% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPEU is the cheaper option, by $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPEU or SPY?
Over the past year SPEU returned +13.62% vs +16.73% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (24 years), SPEU annualized +3.89% vs +9.71% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPEU or SPY?
SPEU has been the more volatile fund at 18.1% annualized versus 14.5% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPEU -64.5% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both SPEU and SPY?
SPEU and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.84, 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, SPEU or SPY?
SPEU yields 3.32% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPEU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than SPEU?
SPEU has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPEU is less concentrated, with 17.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.