ISPY vs. BIL

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

ISPY (ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF) and BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ISPY is a Derivative Income fund tracking the S&P 500 Daily Covered Call Index, while BIL is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, ISPY returned 22.02% vs 3.88% for BIL. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. ISPY charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BIL.

Performance

ISPY vs. BIL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF (ISPY) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ISPY achieves a 7.28% return, which is significantly higher than BIL's 1.54% return.

ISPY

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: 0.22%
• YTD: 7.28%
• 6M: 7.35%
• 1Y: 22.02%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BIL

• 1D: 0.01%
• 1M: 0.29%
• YTD: 1.54%
• 6M: 1.78%
• 1Y: 3.88%
• 3Y*: 4.62%
• 5Y*: 3.42%
• 10Y*: 2.19%

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

ISPY vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ISPY ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF	7.28%	13.15%	21.31%	1.65%
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	1.54%	4.15%	5.19%	0.16%

Correlation

The correlation between ISPY and BIL is -0.06, 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	-0.06
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 21, 2023	-0.02

Return for Risk

ISPY vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank

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

ISPY

ISPY Risk / Return Rank: 61
ISPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
ISPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
ISPY Omega Ratio Rank: 60
ISPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
ISPY Martin Ratio Rank: 66

BIL

BIL Risk / Return Rank: 100
BIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Omega Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
BIL Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

ISPY vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF (ISPY) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). 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.

	ISPY	BIL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.88	19.64	-17.76
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.46	174.66	-172.21
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	88.16	-86.83
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.62	356.40	-353.77
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.11	2,826.06	-2,814.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ISPY vs. BIL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ISPY Sharpe Ratio is 1.88, which is lower than the BIL Sharpe Ratio of 19.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ISPY and BIL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ISPY	BIL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.88	19.64	-17.76
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	13.23	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	8.57	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.31	2.78	-1.47

Drawdowns

ISPY vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ISPY drawdown since its inception was -16.88%, which is greater than BIL's maximum drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ISPY and BIL.

Drawdown Indicators

	ISPY	BIL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-16.88%	-0.78%	-16.10%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.43%	-0.01%	-8.42%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-0.01%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-0.09%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-0.21%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.82%	0.00%	-2.82%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.08%	-0.26%	-1.82%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.99%	0.00%	+1.99%

Volatility

ISPY vs. BIL - Volatility Comparison

ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF (ISPY) has a higher volatility of 4.44% compared to SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) at 0.06%. This indicates that ISPY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ISPY	BIL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.44%	0.06%	+4.38%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.11%	0.14%	+8.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.81%	0.20%	+11.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.66%	0.26%	+13.40%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.66%	0.26%	+13.40%

ISPY vs. BIL - Expense Ratio Comparison

ISPY has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than BIL's 0.14% expense ratio.

Dividends

ISPY vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison

ISPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.51%, more than BIL's 3.86% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
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%
ISPY ProShares S&P 500 High Income ETF	4.51%	8.56%	9.84%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ISPY and BIL in my portfolio?

ISPY and BIL have a correlation of -0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ISPY or BIL?

ISPY has higher volatility (4.44%) compared to BIL (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ISPY dropped -16.88% vs BIL's -0.78%.

Which ETF is better, ISPY or BIL?

On 1-year performance, ISPY leads with 22.02% vs 3.88% 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.

Which ETF has performed better, ISPY or BIL?

Over the 1-year period, ISPY has performed better with a 22.02% return vs 3.88%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ISPY or BIL?

BIL is cheaper with a 0.14% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for ISPY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ISPY or BIL?

ISPY has the higher dividend yield at 4.51%, compared with 3.86% for BIL.

What is the main difference between ISPY and BIL?

ISPY is categorized as Derivative Income, while BIL is Government Bonds. ISPY tracks S&P 500 Daily Covered Call Index, while BIL tracks Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for ISPY and 0.14% for BIL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.64 vs 1.88), 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.