SPY vs XYLD: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk
SPY and XYLD are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. SPY is State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF, while XYLD is Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF. SPY has the lower expense ratio. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has SPY ahead on AIQ Score, 66 versus 48.
What is the main difference between SPY and XYLD?
SPY and XYLD hold essentially the same portfolio: 99% of their weight is in the same securities.
| Metric | SPY | XYLD |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.6% |
| Holdings | 505 | 507 |
| Top-10 concentration | 38.2% | 38% |
| Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months | 0.99% | 10.24% |
| Average volume | 46,698,705 | 625,833 |
| Performance | ||
| 1Y return | +16.4% | +4.9% |
| YTD return | +12.8% | +1.9% |
| 5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested | +12.6% | +7.4% |
| Risk | ||
| Annualized volatility | 12.8% | 7.5% |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -9.1% | -6.6% |
| Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested | -24.5% | -18.7% |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.47 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.91 | 0.05 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.39 | 0.06 |
| AlgovestIQ | ||
| AIQ Score | 66/100 | 48/100 |
| AIQ Edge Score | 9/10 | 3/10 |
| Momentum | 63/100 | 44/100 |
| Risk Resilience | 88/100 | 74/100 |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF vs Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF
SPY leads
SPY leads by 18 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Momentum, and the lead has widened from 12 points over 30 sessions.
Stable: 4 of 4 evidence groups support SPY, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF
Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SPY over XYLD, 66 versus 48 as of Oct 21, 2026. SPY's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and momentum. SPY also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 4 covered evidence groups favor SPY today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. SPY lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 12 to 18 points over 30 sessions. SPY leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so a sweep is not explained by valuation alone — it deserves additional scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, expectations or event risk.
Compare State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF and Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
SPY vs XYLD: which fits what
Each row is settled by a single measure. Where the gap is too small to matter it reads Similar, and no row decides the comparison as a whole.
| If you want | SPY | XYLD | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower costExpense ratio | 0.09% | 0.6% | SPY |
| Broader diversificationNumber of holdings | 505 | 507 | Similar |
| Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings | 38.2% | 38% | Similar |
| Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield | 0.99% | 10.24% | XYLD |
| Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years | -24.5% | -18.7% | XYLD |
| Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year | 12.8% | 7.5% | XYLD |
Similar means the gap is within 0.01 percentage points of expense ratio, 25% more holdings, 3 points of top-10 weight, 0.2 points of yield, 2 points of drawdown or 1 point of volatility. Past drawdowns and volatility describe the funds’ history, not their future.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes for both ETFs.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare SPY and XYLD against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality84 vs 52SPY +32
- Momentum63 vs 44SPY +19
- Risk Resilience88 vs 74SPY +14
- Value41 vs 35SPY +6
4 of 4 evidence groups favor SPY. SPY’s edge is concentrated in quality and momentum.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +16
New signals
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum +2, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
SPY's lead widened by 4 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — SPY and XYLD both carry a full feed there.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | SPY | XYLD | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.6% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Holdings | 505 | 507 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 46,698,705 | 625,833 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 12.8% | 7.5% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -9.1% | -6.6% | The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year. |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.91 | 0.05 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.47 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.
How much of the same holdings they own
SPY and XYLD share 98.73% of their weighted exposure across 503 common holdings.
1 holding is unique to SPY, and 1 holding is unique to XYLD. Owning both adds little diversification — they are largely the same exposure in different wrappers.
SPY is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 38.17% of the fund, against 38% for XYLD (505 holdings vs 507). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.
Largest shared positions
| Holding | SPY | XYLD | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANVIDIA CORP | 8.08% | 7.97% | 7.97% |
| AAPLAPPLE INC | 7.33% | 7.36% | 7.33% |
| MSFTMICROSOFT CORP | 5.59% | 5.55% | 5.55% |
| AMZNAMAZON.COM INC | 3.77% | 3.79% | 3.77% |
| GOOGLALPHABET INC-CL A | 2.98% | 2.99% | 2.98% |
| AVGOBROADCOM INC | 2.61% | 2.58% | 2.58% |
| GOOGALPHABET INC-CL C | 2.39% | 2.39% | 2.39% |
| METAMETA PLATFORMS INC CLASS A | 2.16% | 2.15% | 2.15% |
Shared weight is the lower of the two positions — the portion of capital both funds genuinely have in the same security.
What SPY adds that XYLD doesn’t
SPY has no position of 0.01% or more that XYLD lacks or holds at under half the weight.
What XYLD adds that SPY doesn’t
| Holding | XYLD | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| GXLCGLOBAL X US 500 ETF | 0.11% | Not held |
Each list is a fund’s largest positions by weight that the other fund does not hold, or holds at less than half the weight.
SPY vs XYLD: five-year payout growth
SPY grew its split-adjusted payout faster over 2020-2025 — 5.05% a year against XYLD's 3.02%. SPY never reduced its annual distribution in the window; XYLD did in 2 years.
| Dividend metric | SPY | XYLD |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y payout CAGR | 5.05% | 3.02% |
| 2020 annual payout | $5.691 | $3.681 |
| 2025 annual payout | $7.281 | $4.271 |
| Calendar-year declines | 0 | 2 |
| Peer rank | #95 of 138 | #2 of 3 |
Split-adjusted annual distributions, 2020–2025. Research as of Sep 19, 2026. Yield and expense ratio above are current values, not part of this window.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 4 covered evidence groups favor SPY. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | SPY | 66 vs 48 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | SPY | Value 41 vs 35 |
| Technicals | SPY | Price vs 50-day 0.6% vs -0.2%; vs 200-day 5.9% vs 1.5% |
| Risk Resilience | SPY | Risk Resilience 88 vs 74 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of SPY and XYLD and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 18 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- 4 of 4 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on SPY.
How the comparison changed
45 daily snapshots · Sep 6 – Oct 20SPY lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 12 to 18 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- SPY +18
- 66 vs 48
- 7 sessions ago
- SPY +9
- 66 vs 57
- 30 sessions ago
- SPY +12
- 66 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- Not covered
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
4 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only SPY
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
No signal that the other name lacks.
Both carry 5 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, ATR Contraction - Coiling, EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish, 52-Week High Proximity, MACD Bearish Crossover.
SPY leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.53%, AIQ +4 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.34%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1XYLD closes the Quality gap — currently 32 points behind, the largest single contributor to SPY's edge.
- 2XYLD generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as MACD Bullish Crossover or Uptrend Structure Active.
- 3SPY's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Performance
SPY leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | SPY | XYLD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -1.2% | -1.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -0.6% | -0.6% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 2.9% | 1.1% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 9.2% | 4.2% |
| Year to date | 12.8% | 1.9% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 16.4% | 4.9% |
Technicals
SPY has the stronger structure| Metric | SPY | XYLD |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 56.2 | 45.2 |
| ADX (14) | 12.5 | 14.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Price vs 200-day | 5.9% | 1.5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 9% | 4.9% |
Risk
SPY is the more resilient| Metric | SPY | XYLD |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1 | 0.47 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.91 | 0.05 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.39 | 0.06 |
| Max drawdown | -9.1% | -6.6% |
| Current drawdown | -1.3% | -1.4% |
| Annualized volatility | 12.8% | 7.5% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -1.4% | -0.9% |
Straight answers
Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.
What is the difference between SPY and XYLD?
SPY and XYLD hold essentially the same portfolio: 99% of their weight is in the same securities.
How much do SPY and XYLD overlap?
SPY and XYLD share 98.73% of their weighted exposure across 503 common holdings. 1 holding is unique to SPY, and 1 holding is unique to XYLD. Owning both adds little diversification — they are largely the same exposure in different wrappers.
Which ETF is more diversified, SPY or XYLD?
They hold a similar number of positions: 505 for SPY and 507 for XYLD.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
SPY has the lower expense ratio, 0.09% a year against 0.6% for XYLD.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
XYLD, with a trailing 12-month distribution yield of 10.24% against 0.99% for SPY.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
SPY has been more volatile over the past year, at 12.8% annualized against 7.5% for XYLD.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
XYLD fell less from peak to trough over the past five years: -18.7% against -24.5% for SPY.
Compare SPY and XYLD with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.