SPTL vs. BIL
SPTL (SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF) and BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) are both Government Bonds funds from State Street - SPTL tracks the Bloomberg Long U.S. Treasury Index while BIL tracks the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPTL returned -1.81%/yr vs 2.24%/yr for BIL. Their 0.01 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. SPTL charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BIL.
Performance
SPTL vs. BIL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPTL achieves a -3.28% return, which is significantly lower than BIL's 2.08% return. Over the past 10 years, SPTL has underperformed BIL with an annualized return of -1.81%, while BIL has yielded a comparatively higher 2.24% annualized return.
SPTL
- 1D
- -0.67%
- 1M
- -3.50%
- 6M
- -3.17%
- YTD
- -3.28%
- 1Y
- -1.73%
- 3Y*
- -0.59%
- 5Y*
- -7.09%
- 10Y*
- -1.81%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.09%
BIL
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 1.78%
- YTD
- 2.08%
- 1Y
- 3.76%
- 3Y*
- 4.56%
- 5Y*
- 3.54%
- 10Y*
- 2.24%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.37%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $778.54M | $838.53M | $900.58M | |
| $141.08M | $126.11M | $146.73M |
SPTL vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPTL SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | -3.28% | 5.28% | -6.23% | 3.30% | -29.44% | -4.99% | 18.07% | 13.74% | -1.57% | 9.01% |
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 2.08% | 4.15% | 5.19% | 4.94% | 1.40% | -0.10% | 0.40% | 2.03% | 1.74% | 0.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPTL and BIL is -0.19, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.07 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.01 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | -0.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 30, 2007 | 0.01 |
The correlation between SPTL and BIL shifts across timeframes, from -0.19 (1 year) to 0.01 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SPTL vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank
SPTL
BIL
SPTL vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (SPTL) 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.
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.
| SPTL | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -19.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -153.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 69.35 | -68.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.06 | 349.28 | -349.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.14 | 2,476.90 | -2,477.04 |
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Drawdowns
SPTL vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPTL drawdown since its inception was -46.20%, which is greater than BIL's maximum drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPTL and BIL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPTL | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.20% | -0.78% | -45.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.09% | -0.01% | -7.08% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.39% | -0.01% | -13.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -41.02% | -0.08% | -40.94% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.20% | -0.21% | -45.99% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -38.71% | 0.00% | -38.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.43% | -0.26% | -14.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.21% | 0.00% | +3.21% |
Volatility
SPTL vs. BIL - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (SPTL) has a higher volatility of 2.26% compared to SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) at 0.07%. This indicates that SPTL'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.
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Volatility by Period
| SPTL | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.26% | 0.07% | +2.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.39% | 0.14% | +6.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.51% | 0.20% | +8.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.50% | 0.26% | +14.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.88% | 0.26% | +13.62% |
SPTL vs. BIL - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPTL has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than BIL's 0.14% 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
SPTL vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison
SPTL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.35%, more than BIL's 3.81% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 3.46% | 4.13% | 5.03% | 4.92% | 1.35% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 2.05% | 1.66% | 0.68% | 0.07% | 0.00% |
SPTL SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF | 3.99% | 4.12% | 4.03% | 3.24% | 2.75% | 1.68% | 1.71% | 2.45% | 2.69% | 2.53% | 2.56% | 2.60% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SPTL and BIL have a correlation of -0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPTL has higher volatility (2.26%) compared to BIL (0.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPTL dropped -46.20% vs BIL's -0.78%.
On 10-year performance, BIL leads with 2.24% vs -1.81% for SPTL. On fees, SPTL is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.07%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, BIL has performed better with a 2.24% return vs -1.81%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPTL is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.14% for BIL.
SPTL has the higher dividend yield at 3.99%, compared with 3.46% for BIL.
SPTL tracks Bloomberg Long U.S. Treasury Index, while BIL tracks Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for SPTL and 0.14% for BIL.
BIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.13 vs -0.05), 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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