GOVT vs. IBTE

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

GOVT (iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF) and IBTE (iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Term Treasury ETF) are both Government Bonds funds from iShares - GOVT tracks the ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index while IBTE tracks the ICE 2024 Maturity US Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. GOVT charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IBTE.

Performance

GOVT vs. IBTE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) and iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Term Treasury ETF (IBTE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

GOVT

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: 0.11%
• YTD: -0.11%
• 6M: -0.34%
• 1Y: 3.87%
• 3Y*: 2.83%
• 5Y*: -0.45%
• 10Y*: 0.87%

IBTE

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

GOVT vs. IBTE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	-0.47%
IBTE iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Term Treasury ETF	0.00%

Return for Risk

GOVT vs. IBTE — Risk / Return Rank

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

GOVT

GOVT Risk / Return Rank: 28
GOVT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
GOVT Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
GOVT Omega Ratio Rank: 27
GOVT Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
GOVT Martin Ratio Rank: 28

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.

GOVT vs. IBTE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) and iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Term Treasury ETF (IBTE). 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.

	GOVT	IBTE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.07	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.62	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.36	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.01	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GOVT	IBTE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.07	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.08	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.17	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	—	—

Drawdowns

GOVT vs. IBTE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GOVT drawdown since its inception was -19.07%, which is greater than IBTE's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOVT and IBTE.

Drawdown Indicators

	GOVT	IBTE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.07%	0.00%	-19.07%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.85%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.43%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.60%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-19.07%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.17%	0.00%	-7.17%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.25%	0.00%	-5.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.97%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	GOVT	IBTE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.09%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.51%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.63%	0.00%	+3.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.04%	0.00%	+6.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.22%	0.00%	+5.22%

GOVT vs. IBTE - Expense Ratio Comparison

GOVT has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than IBTE's 0.07% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

GOVT vs. IBTE - Dividend Comparison

GOVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.59%, while IBTE has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	3.59%	3.49%	3.14%	2.65%	1.77%	0.96%	2.17%	1.98%	1.97%	1.57%	1.40%	1.25%
IBTE iShares iBonds Dec 2024 Term Treasury ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, GOVT or IBTE?

On fees, GOVT is cheaper at 0.05% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, GOVT or IBTE?

GOVT is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.07% for IBTE.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, GOVT or IBTE?

GOVT has the higher dividend yield at 3.59%, compared with 0.00% for IBTE.

What is the main difference between GOVT and IBTE?

GOVT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index, while IBTE tracks ICE 2024 Maturity US Treasury Index. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for GOVT and 0.07% for IBTE.