XDEF vs. XAR

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF) and SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR).

XDEF and XAR are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XDEF is a passively managed fund by Xtrackers that tracks the performance of the STOXX Europe Total Market Defence, Space and Cybersecurity Innovation 50-25 Index. It was launched on Feb 19, 2026. XAR is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry. It was launched on Sep 28, 2011. Both XDEF and XAR are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

XDEF vs. XAR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF) and SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XDEF vs. XAR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	-99.14%
XAR SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF	1.47%

Returns By Period

XDEF

• 1D: 5.06%
• 1M: -8.83%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XAR

• 1D: 4.85%
• 1M: -10.20%
• YTD: 5.33%
• 6M: 8.19%
• 1Y: 58.67%
• 3Y*: 30.25%
• 5Y*: 15.56%
• 10Y*: 18.07%

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

XDEF vs. XAR - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both XDEF and XAR have an expense ratio of 0.35%.

XDEF

Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF

XAR

SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF

Return for Risk

XDEF vs. XAR — Risk / Return Rank

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

XAR

XAR Risk / Return Rank: 92
XAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
XAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
XAR Omega Ratio Rank: 89
XAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
XAR Martin Ratio Rank: 91

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.

XDEF vs. XAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF) and SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR). 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

	XDEF	XAR	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	2.09	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.68	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.74	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.49	0.83	-1.32

Correlation

The correlation between XDEF and XAR is 0.59, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

XDEF vs. XAR - Dividend Comparison

XDEF has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.35%.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies 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%
XAR SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF	0.35%	0.40%	0.66%	0.54%	0.50%	0.83%	0.63%	0.75%	1.19%	0.76%	1.09%	2.31%

Drawdowns

XDEF vs. XAR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XDEF drawdown since its inception was -99.27%, which is greater than XAR's maximum drawdown of -46.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XDEF and XAR.

Drawdown Indicators

	XDEF	XAR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.27%	-46.37%	-52.90%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-17.22%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-32.40%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-46.37%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.23%	-13.20%	-86.03%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-49.34%	-6.76%	-42.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	4.88%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	XDEF	XAR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	10.26%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	21.34%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	205.45%	28.28%	+177.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	205.45%	22.91%	+182.54%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	205.45%	24.34%	+181.11%