XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XUU.TO (iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF) and ZCN.TO (BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XUU.TO is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Market TR CAD, while ZCN.TO is a Canada Equities fund tracking the S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XUU.TO returned 15.46%/yr vs 12.62%/yr for ZCN.TO. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XUU.TO charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for ZCN.TO.

Performance

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF (XUU.TO) and BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (ZCN.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XUU.TO achieves a 12.48% return, which is significantly higher than ZCN.TO's 10.70% return. Over the past 10 years, XUU.TO has outperformed ZCN.TO with an annualized return of 15.46%, while ZCN.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 12.62% annualized return.

XUU.TO

• 1D: -0.29%
• 1M: 7.40%
• YTD: 12.48%
• 6M: 10.56%
• 1Y: 29.05%
• 3Y*: 23.13%
• 5Y*: 15.81%
• 10Y*: 15.46%

ZCN.TO

• 1D: -1.14%
• 1M: 3.62%
• YTD: 10.70%
• 6M: 12.95%
• 1Y: 34.77%
• 3Y*: 23.62%
• 5Y*: 14.90%
• 10Y*: 12.62%

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

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XUU.TO iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF	12.48%	11.25%	34.07%	23.11%	-13.53%	25.93%	16.25%	23.77%	2.42%	12.79%
ZCN.TO BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF	10.70%	31.51%	21.64%	11.63%	-5.84%	25.05%	5.69%	22.85%	-8.84%	8.94%

Correlation

The correlation between XUU.TO and ZCN.TO is 0.62, 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	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.62
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.65
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 23, 2015	0.58

The correlation between XUU.TO and ZCN.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.58 to 0.65 - a consistent structural relationship.

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XUU.TO	ZCN.TO
Technology	37.3%	7.6%
Financial Services	11.2%	32.8%
Consumer Cyclical	9.8%	3.8%
Communication Services	9.8%	1.8%
Industrials	8.8%	10.3%
Healthcare	8.4%	0.1%
Consumer Defensive	4.4%	2.9%
Energy	3.4%	17.5%
Utilities	2.5%	3.2%
Real Estate	2.2%	1.6%
Basic Materials	1.9%	18.4%

Return for Risk

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XUU.TO

XUU.TO Risk / Return Rank: 70
XUU.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
XUU.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
XUU.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 73
XUU.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
XUU.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 67

ZCN.TO

ZCN.TO Risk / Return Rank: 80
ZCN.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
ZCN.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
ZCN.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 81
ZCN.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
ZCN.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF (XUU.TO) and BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (ZCN.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.

	XUU.TO	ZCN.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.42	2.76	-0.33
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.32	3.56	-0.25
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.50	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.32	3.75	-0.44
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.64	17.48	-4.85
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XUU.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.42, which is comparable to the ZCN.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.76. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XUU.TO and ZCN.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

	XUU.TO	ZCN.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.42	2.76	-0.33
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.03	1.15	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.94	0.85	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.86	0.68	+0.18

Drawdowns

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XUU.TO drawdown since its inception was -28.22%, smaller than the maximum ZCN.TO drawdown of -37.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XUU.TO and ZCN.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XUU.TO	ZCN.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.22%	-37.18%	+8.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.80%	-9.30%	+0.50%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.70%	-12.25%	-7.45%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.41%	-16.25%	-7.16%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.22%	-37.18%	+8.96%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.29%	-1.14%	+0.85%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.09%	-4.76%	+0.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.30%	1.99%	+0.31%

Volatility

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF (XUU.TO) is 3.29%, while BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (ZCN.TO) has a volatility of 3.49%. This indicates that XUU.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZCN.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XUU.TO	ZCN.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.29%	3.49%	-0.20%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.08%	10.31%	-1.23%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.06%	12.66%	-0.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.45%	13.09%	+2.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.59%	14.99%	+1.60%

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XUU.TO has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is higher than ZCN.TO's 0.06% 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

XUU.TO vs. ZCN.TO - Dividend Comparison

XUU.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, less than ZCN.TO's 2.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XUU.TO iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF	1.01%	1.16%	1.02%	1.22%	1.38%	1.01%	1.33%	1.68%	1.73%	1.49%	1.65%	1.52%
ZCN.TO BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF	2.03%	2.22%	2.78%	3.29%	3.27%	2.74%	3.24%	3.13%	3.16%	2.71%	2.84%	3.33%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XUU.TO and ZCN.TO in my portfolio?

XUU.TO and ZCN.TO have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XUU.TO or ZCN.TO?

On fees, ZCN.TO is cheaper at 0.06% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XUU.TO or ZCN.TO?

ZCN.TO is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.07% for XUU.TO.

What is the main difference between XUU.TO and ZCN.TO?

XUU.TO is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while ZCN.TO is Canada Equities. XUU.TO tracks Morningstar US Market TR CAD, while ZCN.TO tracks S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and BMO. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for XUU.TO and 0.06% for ZCN.TO.