BCKT vs. SPTS

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

BCKT (LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF) and SPTS (SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF) are both Government Bonds funds. BCKT is actively managed, while SPTS is passively managed. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. BCKT charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for SPTS.

Performance

BCKT vs. SPTS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF (BCKT) and SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF (SPTS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BCKT achieves a 0.36% return, which is significantly lower than SPTS's 0.52% return.

BCKT

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: 0.05%
• YTD: 0.36%
• 6M: 0.65%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPTS

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: 0.08%
• YTD: 0.52%
• 6M: 0.91%
• 1Y: 3.31%
• 3Y*: 4.20%
• 5Y*: 1.83%
• 10Y*: 1.66%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BCKT vs. SPTS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
BCKT LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF	0.36%	1.09%
SPTS SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF	0.52%	1.16%

Correlation

The correlation between BCKT and SPTS is 0.89, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2025	0.89

Return for Risk

BCKT vs. SPTS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SPTS

SPTS Risk / Return Rank: 83
SPTS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
SPTS Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
SPTS Omega Ratio Rank: 87
SPTS Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
SPTS Martin Ratio Rank: 81

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BCKT vs. SPTS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF (BCKT) and SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF (SPTS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BCKT	SPTS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	2.55	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.93	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.97	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.39	0.49	+0.90

Drawdowns

BCKT vs. SPTS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BCKT drawdown since its inception was -1.00%, smaller than the maximum SPTS drawdown of -5.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BCKT and SPTS.

Drawdown Indicators

	BCKT	SPTS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-1.00%	-5.83%	+4.83%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-0.84%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-0.96%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-5.71%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-5.71%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.53%	-0.21%	-0.32%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.26%	-1.72%	+1.46%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	0.21%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	BCKT	SPTS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	0.34%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	0.86%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.53%	1.32%	+0.21%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	1.53%	1.98%	-0.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	1.53%	1.72%	-0.19%

BCKT vs. SPTS - Expense Ratio Comparison

BCKT has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than SPTS's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

BCKT vs. SPTS - Dividend Comparison

BCKT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 17.95%, more than SPTS's 3.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BCKT LifeX 2030 Income Bucket ETF	17.95%	5.36%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPTS SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF	3.91%	3.99%	4.25%	3.61%	1.27%	0.19%	0.70%	2.21%	2.04%	1.20%	0.95%	0.83%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BCKT and SPTS in my portfolio?

BCKT and SPTS have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, BCKT or SPTS?

On fees, SPTS is cheaper at 0.03% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, BCKT or SPTS?

SPTS is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for BCKT.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, BCKT or SPTS?

BCKT has the higher dividend yield at 17.95%, compared with 3.91% for SPTS.

What is the main difference between BCKT and SPTS?

They also come from different issuers: Stone Ridge and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for BCKT and 0.03% for SPTS.