UTEN vs. SPTB

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

UTEN (US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF) and SPTB (State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF) are both Government Bonds funds - UTEN tracks the ICE BofA Current 10 Year US Treasury Index - Benchmark TR Gross while SPTB tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, UTEN returned 4.26% vs 3.87% for SPTB. With a 0.98 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. UTEN charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for SPTB.

Performance

UTEN vs. SPTB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF (UTEN) and State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF (SPTB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UTEN achieves a -0.69% return, which is significantly lower than SPTB's -0.07% return.

UTEN

• 1D: -0.26%
• 1M: 0.01%
• YTD: -0.69%
• 6M: -1.30%
• 1Y: 4.26%
• 3Y*: 1.86%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPTB

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 0.08%
• YTD: -0.07%
• 6M: -0.37%
• 1Y: 3.87%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

UTEN vs. SPTB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
UTEN US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF	-0.69%	7.82%	1.05%
SPTB State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF	-0.07%	6.14%	2.17%

Correlation

The correlation between UTEN and SPTB is 0.98 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.98
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 22, 2024	0.98

The correlation between UTEN and SPTB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.98 to 0.98 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

UTEN vs. SPTB — Risk / Return Rank

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

UTEN

UTEN Risk / Return Rank: 22
UTEN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
UTEN Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
UTEN Omega Ratio Rank: 21
UTEN Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
UTEN Martin Ratio Rank: 23

SPTB

SPTB Risk / Return Rank: 29
SPTB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
SPTB Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
SPTB Omega Ratio Rank: 28
SPTB Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
SPTB 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.

UTEN vs. SPTB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF (UTEN) and State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF (SPTB). 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.

	UTEN	SPTB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.82	1.07	-0.25
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.23	1.62	-0.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.19	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.94	1.34	-0.40
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.82	3.98	-1.15
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UTEN vs. SPTB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UTEN Sharpe Ratio is 0.82, which is comparable to the SPTB Sharpe Ratio of 1.07. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UTEN and SPTB, 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

	UTEN	SPTB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.82	1.07	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.01	0.92	-0.91

Drawdowns

UTEN vs. SPTB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UTEN drawdown since its inception was -13.36%, which is greater than SPTB's maximum drawdown of -4.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTEN and SPTB.

Drawdown Indicators

	UTEN	SPTB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.36%	-4.96%	-8.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.57%	-2.90%	-1.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.60%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.05%	-1.94%	-1.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.82%	-1.32%	-3.50%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.51%	0.98%	+0.53%

Volatility

UTEN vs. SPTB - Volatility Comparison

US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF (UTEN) has a higher volatility of 1.71% compared to State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF (SPTB) at 1.11%. This indicates that UTEN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPTB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UTEN	SPTB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.71%	1.11%	+0.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.65%	2.47%	+1.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.24%	3.64%	+1.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.05%	4.42%	+3.63%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.05%	4.42%	+3.63%

UTEN vs. SPTB - Expense Ratio Comparison

UTEN has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SPTB's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

UTEN vs. SPTB - Dividend Comparison

UTEN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.05%, less than SPTB's 4.20% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
SPTB State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF	4.20%	4.23%	2.76%	0.00%	0.00%
UTEN US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF	4.05%	4.11%	4.13%	3.62%	1.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UTEN and SPTB in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.98, UTEN and SPTB move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, UTEN or SPTB?

UTEN has higher volatility (1.71%) compared to SPTB (1.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UTEN dropped -13.36% vs SPTB's -4.96%.

Which ETF is better, UTEN or SPTB?

On 1-year performance, UTEN leads with 4.26% vs 3.87% for SPTB. On fees, SPTB is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SPTB has been the lower-risk option at 1.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UTEN or SPTB?

Over the 1-year period, UTEN has performed better with a 4.26% return vs 3.87%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UTEN or SPTB?

SPTB is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for UTEN.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UTEN or SPTB?

SPTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.20%, compared with 4.05% for UTEN.

What is the main difference between UTEN and SPTB?

UTEN tracks ICE BofA Current 10 Year US Treasury Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while SPTB tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Index. They also come from different issuers: US Benchmark Series and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for UTEN and 0.03% for SPTB.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.07 vs 0.82), 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.