QTOP vs SPY
iShares Nasdaq Top 30 Stocks ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QTOP or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QTOP led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.3%.
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 | QTOP | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.20% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $362M | $823.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.32% | 0.99% |
| Holdings | 35 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +20.85%Best | +13.53% |
| 1Y Return | +24.48%Best | +17.47% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.36% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.21% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 20.2% | 12.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -23.1% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 2 years | $15,750Best | $13,654 |
| Top 10 Weight | 59.3% | 38.2%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 24, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 24, 2024 to Oct 14, 2026 (2 years).
QTOP 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 2 years both funds cover.
QTOP vs SPY Performance
iShares Nasdaq Top 30 Stocks ETF (QTOP) 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 QTOP returned +24.48% while SPY returned +17.47%. Year to date, QTOP is up 20.85% versus a gain of 13.53% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QTOP has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.2% compared with 12.5% 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 -23.1% for QTOP 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 0.86. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QTOP charges 0.20% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $20 vs $9 annually, a gap of $11 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QTOP currently yields 0.32% against 0.99% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
95.2% of QTOP's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 47.4% of SPY's money is in holdings QTOP also owns.
Most of QTOP is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
29 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in QTOP and 504 in SPY, against full books of 35 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 467 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for QTOP (51.6% of the fund), and 2 for QTOP that do not appear in SPY (3.6%).
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 QTOP | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 10.82% | 7.78% | 3.04% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 9.38% | 7.45% | 1.93% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 7.41% | 5.71% | 1.70% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 6.65% | 1.59% | 5.06% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.06% | 3.78% | 0.28% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 3.86% | 3.12% | 0.74% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 5.53% | 1.22% | 4.31% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 4.30% | 2.22% | 2.08% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 3.60% | 2.49% | 1.11% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.26% | 2.48% | 0.78% |
95.2% of QTOP 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, QTOP or SPY?
QTOP has an expense ratio of 0.20% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $11 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QTOP or SPY?
Over the past year QTOP returned +24.48% vs +17.47% for SPY, so QTOP leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), QTOP annualized +25.50% vs +16.85% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QTOP or SPY?
QTOP has been the more volatile fund at 20.2% annualized versus 12.5% for SPY. Worst drawdown: QTOP -23.1% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both QTOP and SPY?
QTOP and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.86, 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 QTOP and SPY?
95.2% of QTOP's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 47.4% of SPY's is in holdings QTOP also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in QTOP and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QTOP or SPY?
QTOP yields 0.32% while SPY yields 0.99%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QTOP?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QTOP led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.