SPY vs XAIX
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence and Big Data ETF
Which is better, SPY or XAIX?
XAIX has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. XAIX led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 44.4%.
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 | SPY | XAIX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.35% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $173M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 0.39% |
| Holdings | 505 | 106 |
| YTD Return | +11.97% | +33.02%Best |
| 1Y Return | +16.40% | +40.68%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.10% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.88% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.4%Best | 25.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.8%Best | -23.9% |
| $10,000 over 2.1 years | $14,573 | $19,847Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8%Best | 44.4% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Xtrackers ETFs |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Jun 4, 2024 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 2, 2024 to Sep 14, 2026 (2.1 years).
SPY vs XAIX 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 2.1 years both funds cover.
SPY vs XAIX Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence and Big Data ETF (XAIX) is an ETF from Xtrackers ETFs. Over the past year SPY returned +16.40% while XAIX returned +40.68%. Year to date, SPY is up 11.97% versus a gain of 33.02% for XAIX.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
XAIX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 25.7% compared with 12.4% 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 -18.8% for SPY and -23.9% for XAIX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.85. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while XAIX charges 0.35%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $35 annually, a gap of $26 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 0.39% for XAIX.
Holdings Overlap
39.8% of SPY's money is in holdings XAIX also owns. 78.4% of XAIX's money is in holdings SPY also owns.
Most of XAIX is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
33 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 101 in XAIX, against full books of 505 and 106.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 30 positions for XAIX that do not appear in our book for SPY (5.3% of the fund), and 464 for SPY that do not appear in XAIX (59.5%).
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 SPY | Weight in XAIX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.01% | 4.92% | 3.09% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.26% | 4.93% | 2.33% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.66% | 5.86% | 0.20% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.79% | 4.70% | 0.91% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.99% | 4.14% | 1.15% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.93% | 4.62% | 2.69% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.60% | 3.63% | 2.03% |
| WMTWalmart, Inc. | 0.71% | 4.11% | 3.40% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 1.14% | 3.46% | 2.32% |
| BACBank of America Corp.: Financials | 0.62% | 3.73% | 3.11% |
78.4% of XAIX is already inside SPY.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, SPY or XAIX?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while XAIX charges 0.35%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $26 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or XAIX?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.40% vs +40.68% for XAIX, so XAIX leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), SPY annualized +19.64% vs +38.60% for XAIX. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or XAIX?
XAIX has been the more volatile fund at 25.7% annualized versus 12.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -18.8% vs XAIX -23.9%.
Should I hold both SPY and XAIX?
SPY and XAIX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.85, 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 SPY and XAIX?
78.4% of XAIX's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 78.4% of XAIX's is in holdings SPY also owns. They hold 33 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 101 in XAIX.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or XAIX?
SPY yields 0.98% while XAIX yields 0.39%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is XAIX better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. XAIX led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 44.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.