XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XSFN.L (Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1D) and BNKS.L (iShares S&P U.S. Banks) are both Financials Equities funds tracking the MSCI World/Financials NR USD, from Xtrackers and iShares respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XSFN.L returned 9.61%/yr vs 5.90%/yr for BNKS.L. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XSFN.L charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for BNKS.L.

Performance

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1D (XSFN.L) and iShares S&P U.S. Banks (BNKS.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XSFN.L is traded in GBp, while BNKS.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the BNKS.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XSFN.L achieves a -5.19% return, which is significantly lower than BNKS.L's 4.03% return.

XSFN.L

• 1D: 3.29%
• 1M: 1.94%
• YTD: -5.19%
• 6M: -2.92%
• 1Y: 4.85%
• 3Y*: 16.41%
• 5Y*: 9.61%
• 10Y*: —

BNKS.L

• 1D: 3.49%
• 1M: 1.92%
• YTD: 4.03%
• 6M: 6.76%
• 1Y: 29.13%
• 3Y*: 23.12%
• 5Y*: 5.90%
• 10Y*: —

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

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
XSFN.L Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1D	-5.19%	7.83%	34.69%	8.03%	-2.82%	38.02%	-7.44%	29.37%	-10.39%
BNKS.L iShares S&P U.S. Banks	4.03%	11.87%	30.79%	-8.55%	-9.13%	41.04%	-15.58%	31.42%	-20.06%

Correlation

The correlation between XSFN.L and BNKS.L is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.77
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 25, 2018	0.59

The correlation between XSFN.L and BNKS.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.59 (all time) to 0.77 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XSFN.L	BNKS.L
Financial Services	97.7%	100.0%
Technology	1.9%	-
Industrials	0.2%	-
Real Estate	0.2%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

XSFN.L

XSFN.L Risk / Return Rank: 14
XSFN.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
XSFN.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
XSFN.L Omega Ratio Rank: 13
XSFN.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
XSFN.L Martin Ratio Rank: 13

BNKS.L

BNKS.L Risk / Return Rank: 36
BNKS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
BNKS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
BNKS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 36
BNKS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
BNKS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 31

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.

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1D (XSFN.L) and iShares S&P U.S. Banks (BNKS.L). 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.

	XSFN.L	BNKS.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.33	1.39	-1.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.57	1.93	-1.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.24	-0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.36	1.85	-1.49
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.85	5.43	-4.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XSFN.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.33, which is lower than the BNKS.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XSFN.L and BNKS.L, 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

	XSFN.L	BNKS.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33	1.39	-1.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.22	+0.37
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.67	0.20	+0.46

Drawdowns

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XSFN.L drawdown since its inception was -33.95%, smaller than the maximum BNKS.L drawdown of -45.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XSFN.L and BNKS.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XSFN.L	BNKS.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.95%	-45.87%	+11.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.39%	-15.69%	+2.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.67%	-29.89%	+10.22%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.67%	-45.87%	+26.20%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.19%	-4.17%	-3.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.19%	-15.28%	+9.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.72%	5.36%	+0.36%

Volatility

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1D (XSFN.L) is 4.56%, while iShares S&P U.S. Banks (BNKS.L) has a volatility of 6.01%. This indicates that XSFN.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BNKS.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XSFN.L	BNKS.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.56%	6.01%	-1.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.77%	15.81%	-5.04%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.43%	20.89%	-6.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.13%	26.95%	-7.82%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.77%	30.65%	-6.88%

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

XSFN.L has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than BNKS.L's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

XSFN.L vs. BNKS.L - Dividend Comparison

XSFN.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.16%, while BNKS.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
BNKS.L iShares S&P U.S. Banks	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XSFN.L Xtrackers MSCI USA Financials UCITS ETF 1D	1.16%	1.14%	1.10%	1.69%	2.57%	1.31%	1.31%	3.49%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XSFN.L and BNKS.L in my portfolio?

XSFN.L and BNKS.L have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XSFN.L or BNKS.L?

On fees, XSFN.L is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XSFN.L or BNKS.L?

XSFN.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for BNKS.L.

What is the main difference between XSFN.L and BNKS.L?

Both ETFs track MSCI World/Financials NR USD. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XSFN.L and 0.35% for BNKS.L.