BIL vs. EWJ
BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) and EWJ (iShares MSCI Japan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BIL is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, while EWJ is a Japan Equities fund tracking the MSCI Japan Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BIL returned 2.20%/yr vs 9.55%/yr for EWJ. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. BIL charges 0.14%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for EWJ.
Performance
BIL vs. EWJ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BIL achieves a 1.60% return, which is significantly lower than EWJ's 14.83% return. Over the past 10 years, BIL has underperformed EWJ with an annualized return of 2.20%, while EWJ has yielded a comparatively higher 9.55% annualized return.
BIL
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- YTD
- 1.60%
- 6M
- 1.76%
- 1Y
- 3.85%
- 3Y*
- 4.63%
- 5Y*
- 3.43%
- 10Y*
- 2.20%
EWJ
- 1D
- 0.57%
- 1M
- 0.71%
- YTD
- 14.83%
- 6M
- 14.50%
- 1Y
- 31.74%
- 3Y*
- 16.57%
- 5Y*
- 8.56%
- 10Y*
- 9.55%
BIL vs. EWJ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 1.60% | 4.15% | 5.19% | 4.94% | 1.40% | -0.10% | 0.40% | 2.03% | 1.74% | 0.69% |
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 14.83% | 25.84% | 7.03% | 20.29% | -17.72% | 1.16% | 15.40% | 19.34% | -14.10% | 24.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between BIL and EWJ is -0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.07 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 30, 2007 | -0.03 |
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Return for Risk
BIL vs. EWJ — Risk / Return Rank
BIL
EWJ
BIL vs. EWJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| BIL | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +18.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +172.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 88.41 | 1.28 | +87.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 357.44 | 2.27 | +355.18 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2,834.34 | 7.62 | +2,826.71 |
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Drawdowns
BIL vs. EWJ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BIL drawdown since its inception was -0.78%, smaller than the maximum EWJ drawdown of -60.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BIL and EWJ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BIL | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.78% | -60.93% | +60.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.01% | -13.59% | +13.58% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.01% | -14.68% | +14.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.09% | -33.14% | +33.05% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -0.21% | -33.14% | +32.93% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.51% | +1.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.26% | -21.72% | +21.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.00% | 4.04% | -4.04% |
Volatility
BIL vs. EWJ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) is 0.06%, while iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) has a volatility of 6.31%. This indicates that BIL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EWJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BIL | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.06% | 6.31% | -6.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.14% | 15.96% | -15.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20% | 20.23% | -20.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.26% | 18.38% | -18.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.26% | 17.33% | -17.07% |
BIL vs. EWJ - Expense Ratio Comparison
BIL has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is lower than EWJ's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
BIL vs. EWJ - Dividend Comparison
BIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.86%, less than EWJ's 3.94% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 3.86% | 4.13% | 5.03% | 4.92% | 1.35% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 2.05% | 1.66% | 0.68% | 0.07% | 0.00% |
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 3.94% | 4.52% | 2.34% | 2.03% | 1.23% | 2.08% | 1.04% | 2.03% | 1.71% | 1.25% | 1.95% | 1.27% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BIL and EWJ have a correlation of -0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EWJ has higher volatility (6.31%) compared to BIL (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BIL dropped -0.78% vs EWJ's -60.93%.
On 10-year performance, EWJ leads with 9.55% vs 2.20% for BIL. On fees, BIL is cheaper at 0.14% per year. On volatility, BIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, EWJ has performed better with a 9.55% return vs 2.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BIL is cheaper with a 0.14% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for EWJ.
EWJ has the higher dividend yield at 3.94%, compared with 3.86% for BIL.
BIL is categorized as Government Bonds, while EWJ is Japan Equities. BIL tracks Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, while EWJ tracks MSCI Japan Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.14% for BIL and 0.49% for EWJ.
BIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.63 vs 1.52), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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