ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD) (ZSP-U.TO) and iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSP.TO).

ZSP-U.TO and XSP.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ZSP-U.TO is a passively managed fund by BMO that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Nov 14, 2012. XSP.TO is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on May 24, 2001. Both ZSP-U.TO and XSP.TO 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

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD) (ZSP-U.TO) and iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSP.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ZSP-U.TO BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD)	-4.68%	16.84%	23.97%	25.49%	-18.84%	28.13%	17.65%	30.51%	-5.76%	20.96%
XSP.TO iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	-6.20%	21.23%	13.64%	27.16%	-24.72%	28.80%	17.48%	35.81%	-13.54%	29.05%

Different Trading Currencies

ZSP-U.TO is traded in USD, while XSP.TO is traded in CAD. To make them comparable, the XSP.TO values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZSP-U.TO achieves a -4.68% return, which is significantly higher than XSP.TO's -6.20% return. Over the past 10 years, ZSP-U.TO has outperformed XSP.TO with an annualized return of 13.22%, while XSP.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 11.60% annualized return.

ZSP-U.TO

• 1D: 2.85%
• 1M: -5.28%
• YTD: -4.68%
• 6M: -2.37%
• 1Y: 16.49%
• 3Y*: 17.31%
• 5Y*: 10.97%
• 10Y*: 13.22%

XSP.TO

• 1D: 3.07%
• 1M: -7.06%
• YTD: -6.20%
• 6M: -2.82%
• 1Y: 19.24%
• 3Y*: 15.29%
• 5Y*: 7.91%
• 10Y*: 11.60%

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

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both ZSP-U.TO and XSP.TO have an expense ratio of 0.09%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

ZSP-U.TO

BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD)

XSP.TO

iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)

Return for Risk

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZSP-U.TO

ZSP-U.TO Risk / Return Rank: 55
ZSP-U.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
ZSP-U.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
ZSP-U.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 56
ZSP-U.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
ZSP-U.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 65

XSP.TO

XSP.TO Risk / Return Rank: 57
XSP.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
XSP.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
XSP.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 57
XSP.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
XSP.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 66

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.

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD) (ZSP-U.TO) and iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSP.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.

	ZSP-U.TO	XSP.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.92	1.00	-0.08
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.40	1.58	-0.19
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.22	-0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.42	1.60	-0.19
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.68	6.78	-0.11
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZSP-U.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.92, which is comparable to the XSP.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZSP-U.TO and XSP.TO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ZSP-U.TO	XSP.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92	1.00	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.39	+0.27
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.78	0.53	+0.24
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.85	0.61	+0.25

Correlation

The correlation between ZSP-U.TO and XSP.TO is 0.79, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZSP-U.TO has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XSP.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.29%.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ZSP-U.TO BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD)	0.00%	0.14%	0.71%	0.98%	1.13%	0.91%	1.02%	1.07%	1.26%	1.22%	1.43%	1.29%
XSP.TO iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	1.29%	1.23%	1.09%	1.18%	1.37%	1.00%	1.31%	1.73%	1.84%	1.47%	1.75%	1.86%

Drawdowns

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZSP-U.TO drawdown since its inception was -33.72%, smaller than the maximum XSP.TO drawdown of -41.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZSP-U.TO and XSP.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZSP-U.TO	XSP.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.72%	-57.82%	+24.10%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.08%	-11.93%	-0.15%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.88%	-25.44%	+0.56%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.72%	-36.05%	+2.33%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.59%	-6.73%	+0.14%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.99%	-12.19%	+8.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.56%	2.59%	-0.03%

Volatility

ZSP-U.TO vs. XSP.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD) (ZSP-U.TO) is 5.32%, while iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XSP.TO) has a volatility of 5.82%. This indicates that ZSP-U.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XSP.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZSP-U.TO	XSP.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.32%	5.82%	-0.50%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.50%	10.55%	-1.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.03%	19.36%	-1.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.81%	20.54%	-3.73%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.77%	21.88%	-4.11%