SPY vs URA
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Global X Uranium ETF
Which is better, SPY or URA?
Large Cap Blend against Mid Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y 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 | SPY | URA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.69% |
| AUM | $823.2B | $5.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.99% | 5.21% |
| Holdings | 1,515 | 57 |
| YTD Return | +13.53%Best | -22.84% |
| 1Y Return | +17.47%Best | -34.63% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.36%Best | +17.77% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.21%Best | +9.15% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.1%Best | 37.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -34.1%Best | -93.5% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,596Best | $15,492 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Global X by mirae Asset |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Mid Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Nov 4, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 5, 2010 to Oct 14, 2026 (15.9 years).
SPY vs URA 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 15.9 years both funds cover.
SPY vs URA Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Global X Uranium ETF (URA) is an ETF from Global X by mirae Asset. Over the past year SPY returned +17.47% while URA returned -34.63%. Year to date, SPY is up 13.53% versus a loss of 22.84% for URA.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +22.36% per year against +17.77% for URA; over five years the annualized figures are +13.21% and +9.15% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +12.75% annualized vs -3.88%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
URA has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 37.3% compared with 14.1% 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 -34.1% for SPY and -93.5% for URA. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.52. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while URA charges 0.69%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $69 annually, a gap of $60 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.99% against 5.21% for URA.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.9% of SPY's money is in holdings URA also owns.
Stated as a floor: for URA, our book for it covers 92.8% 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 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 56 in URA, against full books of 1,515 and 57.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SPY | Weight in URA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| VVERDERA ENERGY CORP | 0.95% | 0.01% | 0.94% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and URA 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, SPY or URA?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while URA charges 0.69%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $60 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or URA?
Over the past year SPY returned +17.47% vs -34.63% for URA, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), SPY annualized +12.75% vs -3.88% for URA. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or URA?
URA has been the more volatile fund at 37.3% annualized versus 14.1% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -34.1% vs URA -93.5%.
Should I hold both SPY and URA?
SPY and URA have a monthly-return correlation of 0.52, 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, SPY or URA?
SPY yields 0.99% while URA yields 5.21%, so URA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is URA better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.