XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XSTH.TO (iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)) and XGB.TO (iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XSTH.TO is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Gbl Core Bd GR CAD, while XGB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Can Core Bd GR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XSTH.TO returned 3.85%/yr vs 3.45%/yr for XGB.TO. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XSTH.TO charges 0.16%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for XGB.TO.

Performance

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSTH.TO) and iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF (XGB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XSTH.TO achieves a 1.24% return, which is significantly lower than XGB.TO's 1.57% return.

XSTH.TO

• 1D: -0.03%
• 1M: -0.13%
• YTD: 1.24%
• 6M: 1.11%
• 1Y: 2.77%
• 3Y*: 3.85%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XGB.TO

• 1D: -0.16%
• 1M: 1.63%
• YTD: 1.57%
• 6M: 0.52%
• 1Y: 2.67%
• 3Y*: 3.45%
• 5Y*: 0.13%
• 10Y*: 1.03%

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

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
XSTH.TO iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	1.24%	4.20%	3.68%	3.90%	-3.36%	1.76%
XGB.TO iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF	1.57%	1.65%	3.54%	5.57%	-12.25%	0.47%

Correlation

The correlation between XSTH.TO and XGB.TO is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.26
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.42
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 15, 2021	0.39

The correlation between XSTH.TO and XGB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.26 (1 year) to 0.42 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XSTH.TO

XSTH.TO Risk / Return Rank: 39
XSTH.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
XSTH.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
XSTH.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 43
XSTH.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
XSTH.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 45

XGB.TO

XGB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 18
XGB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
XGB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
XGB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 17
XGB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
XGB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 18

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.

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSTH.TO) and iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF (XGB.TO). 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.

	XSTH.TO	XGB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.28	0.59	+0.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.92	0.82	+1.10
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.11	+0.18
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.86	0.94	+0.93
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.42	2.02	+5.40
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XSTH.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.28, which is higher than the XGB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.59. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XSTH.TO and XGB.TO, 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

	XSTH.TO	XGB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.28	0.59	+0.68
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.02	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.17	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.64	0.52	+0.12

Drawdowns

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XSTH.TO drawdown since its inception was -5.98%, smaller than the maximum XGB.TO drawdown of -19.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XSTH.TO and XGB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XSTH.TO	XGB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-5.98%	-19.53%	+13.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.49%	-2.86%	+1.37%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.49%	-5.83%	+4.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-16.44%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.53%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.19%	-5.25%	+5.06%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.56%	-3.94%	+2.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.37%	1.33%	-0.96%

Volatility

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSTH.TO) is 0.43%, while iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF (XGB.TO) has a volatility of 1.70%. This indicates that XSTH.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XGB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XSTH.TO	XGB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.43%	1.70%	-1.27%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.52%	3.49%	-1.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.18%	4.53%	-2.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.64%	6.92%	-3.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.64%	5.99%	-2.35%

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XSTH.TO has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is higher than XGB.TO's 0.13% 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

XSTH.TO vs. XGB.TO - Dividend Comparison

XSTH.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.55%, more than XGB.TO's 3.11% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XGB.TO iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF	3.11%	3.11%	2.95%	2.73%	2.64%	2.25%	2.12%	2.32%	2.44%	2.41%	2.53%	2.62%
XSTH.TO iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	3.55%	3.94%	2.53%	3.15%	6.07%	2.05%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XSTH.TO and XGB.TO in my portfolio?

XSTH.TO and XGB.TO have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XSTH.TO or XGB.TO?

On fees, XGB.TO is cheaper at 0.13% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XSTH.TO or XGB.TO?

XGB.TO is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.16% for XSTH.TO.

What is the main difference between XSTH.TO and XGB.TO?

XSTH.TO is categorized as Inflation-Protected Bonds, while XGB.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. XSTH.TO tracks Morningstar Gbl Core Bd GR CAD, while XGB.TO tracks Morningstar Can Core Bd GR CAD. Their fees differ too: 0.16% for XSTH.TO and 0.13% for XGB.TO.