ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZPAY.TO (BMO Premium Yield ETF) and ZAG.TO (BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZPAY.TO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by BMO, while ZAG.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Canada Universe Bond Index. ZPAY.TO is actively managed, while ZAG.TO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ZPAY.TO returned 8.59%/yr vs 0.76%/yr for ZAG.TO. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ZPAY.TO charges 0.73%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for ZAG.TO.

Performance

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Premium Yield ETF (ZPAY.TO) and BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZAG.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZPAY.TO achieves a 4.79% return, which is significantly higher than ZAG.TO's 1.70% return.

ZPAY.TO

• 1D: 0.37%
• 1M: 3.77%
• YTD: 4.79%
• 6M: 0.79%
• 1Y: 10.41%
• 3Y*: 9.74%
• 5Y*: 8.59%
• 10Y*: —

ZAG.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.75%
• YTD: 1.70%
• 6M: 0.89%
• 1Y: 3.25%
• 3Y*: 4.24%
• 5Y*: 0.76%
• 10Y*: 1.66%

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

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
ZPAY.TO BMO Premium Yield ETF	4.79%	2.61%	16.94%	16.87%	-6.33%	9.54%	526.95%
ZAG.TO BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF	1.70%	2.25%	4.48%	6.41%	-11.60%	-2.60%	7.13%

Correlation

The correlation between ZPAY.TO and ZAG.TO is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.12
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 22, 2020	0.13

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ZPAY.TO	ZAG.TO
Technology	31.7%	-
Communication Services	17.5%	-
Financial Services	16.3%	-
Healthcare	14.8%	-
Consumer Defensive	8.6%	-
Industrials	7.4%	-
Basic Materials	2.9%	-
Consumer Cyclical	0.8%	-
Energy	-	-
Real Estate	-	0.0%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZPAY.TO

ZPAY.TO Risk / Return Rank: 31
ZPAY.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
ZPAY.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
ZPAY.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 35
ZPAY.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
ZPAY.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 26

ZAG.TO

ZAG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 21
ZAG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
ZAG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
ZAG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 20
ZAG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
ZAG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Premium Yield ETF (ZPAY.TO) and BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZAG.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.

	ZPAY.TO	ZAG.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.27	0.73	+0.54
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.73	1.02	+0.70
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.13	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.37	1.17	+0.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.57	2.73	+0.85
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZPAY.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.27, which is higher than the ZAG.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.73. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZPAY.TO and ZAG.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

	ZPAY.TO	ZAG.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.27	0.73	+0.54
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82	0.12	+0.71
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.23	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.45	-0.24

Drawdowns

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZPAY.TO drawdown since its inception was -14.89%, smaller than the maximum ZAG.TO drawdown of -18.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZPAY.TO and ZAG.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZPAY.TO	ZAG.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.89%	-18.03%	+3.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.64%	-2.79%	-4.85%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.47%	-5.42%	-7.05%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.76%	-15.77%	+1.01%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-18.03%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.70%	-1.09%	-0.61%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.66%	-3.54%	+0.88%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.92%	1.19%	+1.73%

Volatility

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Volatility Comparison

BMO Premium Yield ETF (ZPAY.TO) has a higher volatility of 2.74% compared to BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZAG.TO) at 1.68%. This indicates that ZPAY.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ZAG.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZPAY.TO	ZAG.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.74%	1.68%	+1.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.70%	3.43%	+3.27%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.24%	4.46%	+3.78%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.53%	6.58%	+3.95%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	196.01%	7.11%	+188.90%

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZPAY.TO has a 0.73% expense ratio, which is higher than ZAG.TO's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZPAY.TO vs. ZAG.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZPAY.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.40%, more than ZAG.TO's 3.42% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ZAG.TO BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF	3.42%	3.48%	3.44%	3.47%	3.56%	3.04%	2.88%	3.03%	2.92%	2.95%	3.07%	3.13%
ZPAY.TO BMO Premium Yield ETF	7.40%	7.46%	5.81%	6.40%	7.00%	6.10%	5.42%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZPAY.TO and ZAG.TO in my portfolio?

ZPAY.TO and ZAG.TO have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZPAY.TO or ZAG.TO?

On fees, ZAG.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZPAY.TO or ZAG.TO?

ZAG.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.73% for ZPAY.TO.

What is the main difference between ZPAY.TO and ZAG.TO?

ZPAY.TO is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while ZAG.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. Their fees differ too: 0.73% for ZPAY.TO and 0.09% for ZAG.TO.