SPTU vs. BIL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SPTU (State Street SPDR Portfolio Ultra Short T-Bill ETF) and BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SPTU is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE BofA US Treasury Bill Index, while BIL is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Both are passively managed. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SPTU charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BIL.

Performance

SPTU vs. BIL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street SPDR Portfolio Ultra Short T-Bill ETF (SPTU) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with SPTU having a 1.48% return and BIL slightly higher at 1.49%.

SPTU

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.31%
• YTD: 1.48%
• 6M: 1.81%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BIL

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.49%
• 6M: 1.77%
• 1Y: 3.87%
• 3Y*: 4.64%
• 5Y*: 3.41%
• 10Y*: 2.18%

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

SPTU vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
SPTU State Street SPDR Portfolio Ultra Short T-Bill ETF	1.48%	0.92%
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF	1.49%	0.88%

Correlation

The correlation between SPTU and BIL is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 9, 2025	0.31

Return for Risk

SPTU vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank

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

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.

SPTU vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR Portfolio Ultra Short T-Bill ETF (SPTU) 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.

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

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SPTU	BIL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	19.71	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	13.16	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	8.52	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	11.82	2.78	+9.05

Drawdowns

SPTU vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPTU drawdown since its inception was -0.04%, smaller than the maximum BIL drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPTU and BIL.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPTU	BIL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-0.04%	-0.78%	+0.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-0.01%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-0.01%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-0.10%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-0.21%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.00%	-0.26%	+0.26%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	0.00%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	SPTU	BIL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	0.05%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	0.13%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.32%	0.20%	+0.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.32%	0.26%	+0.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.32%	0.26%	+0.06%

SPTU vs. BIL - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPTU has a 0.05% 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

SPTU vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison

SPTU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.36%, less 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%
SPTU State Street SPDR Portfolio Ultra Short T-Bill ETF	2.36%	0.89%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SPTU and BIL in my portfolio?

SPTU and BIL have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, SPTU or BIL?

On fees, SPTU 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, SPTU or BIL?

SPTU is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.14% for BIL.

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

BIL has the higher dividend yield at 3.86%, compared with 2.36% for SPTU.

What is the main difference between SPTU and BIL?

SPTU is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while BIL is Government Bonds. SPTU tracks ICE BofA US Treasury Bill Index, while BIL tracks Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for SPTU and 0.14% for BIL.