Which returned more over the last year, IUSB or SYSB?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IUSB returned −1.2% and SYSB −1.9%.

Which is cheaper, IUSB or SYSB?

IUSB is cheaper, by 0.19 percentage points a year. That is about $19 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

IUSB vs SYSB: Differences, Returns & Fees

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On Jul 31, 2026 IUSB's duration was 5.5 years and SYSB's 5.9; IUSB charges 0.06% to SYSB's 0.25%.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $49.8bn for iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF and $1.4bn for iShares Systematic Bond ETF.

IUSB on its own →SYSB on its own →

At a glance

−1.2%

IUSB total return, 1 year

−1.9%

SYSB total return, 1 year

0.06%

IUSB expense ratio

0.25%

SYSB expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IUSB costs 0.19 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 0.7 points; IUSB is far larger, $49.8bn against $1.4bn.

IUSB vs SYSB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	IUSB	SYSB
Return
Measure	IUSB	SYSB
Total return, 1 year	−1.2%	−1.9%
Drawdown
Measure	IUSB	SYSB
Below its high		3.3%, high on Feb 27, 2026
Benchmark
Measure	IUSB	SYSB
What it tracks	Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index	BlackRock Universal Systematic Bond Index
Cost and size
Measure	IUSB	SYSB
Expense ratio	0.06%	0.25%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$49.8bn	$1.4bn
Holdings
Measure	IUSB	SYSB
Holdings in common	8%

Holdings in common uses holdings dated Jul 31, 2026. Method

Risk and return

Mar 6, 2015 to Oct 23, 2026 · 607 weekly returns

IUSB SYSB

Return

Total return edge SYSB +25.2% +28.7%

Annualized edge SYSB +1.9% +2.2%

Price return edge IUSB −11.4% −14.1%

Risk

Volatility edge Tie 5.1% 5.0%

Max drawdown edge Tie −17.7% −17.9%

Risk-adjusted

Sharpe edge SYSB −0.02 0.02

Sortino edge SYSB −0.03 0.03

Calmar edge SYSB (slight) 0.11 0.12

Reading

SYSB returned more: +28.7% to +25.2%. IUSB and SYSB swung about the same: 5.1% and 5.0%. IUSB and SYSB fell about the same at their worst: −17.7% and −17.9%.

Full scorecard

9 measures, with how each is measured Open ↓

Risk and return: IUSB vs SYSB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	IUSB	SYSB	Edge	How it is measured
Return
Total return	+25.2%	+28.7%	SYSB	Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized	+1.9%	+2.2%	SYSB	Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return	−11.4%	−14.1%	IUSB	Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility	5.1%	5.0%	Tie	Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation	3.7%	3.8%	IUSB (slight)	Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown	−17.7%	−17.9%	Tie	Deepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe	−0.02	0.02	SYSB	Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino	−0.03	0.03	SYSB	Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Calmar	0.11	0.12	SYSB (slight)	Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 607 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

What they share

By the books each fund has filed, IUSB and SYSB hold 8% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Jul 31, 2026.

50%

0 half 100%

half

8% in common

Positions both hold · largest shared weight first IUSB SYSB

Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities, due Aug 25, 2056 0.41% 0.36%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Aug 15, 2035 0.34% 2.16%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Nov 15, 2034 0.34% 0.99%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due May 15, 2035 0.33% 2.34%

Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities, due Aug 25, 2041 0.26% 0.72%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Feb 28, 2031 0.24% 1.30%

Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities, due Aug 25, 2056 0.22% 1.10%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due May 15, 2033 0.21% 1.60%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Nov 30, 2028 0.21% 0.72%

Government National Mortgage Association, due Aug 15, 2056 0.19% 0.21%

Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities, due Aug 25, 2056 0.31% 0.19%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Feb 28, 2029 0.18% 0.81%

Only in one fund ↓

Only in IUSB

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Dec 31, 2029 0.37%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due May 15, 2036 0.37%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Feb 15, 2034 0.36%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Feb 15, 2035 0.35%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due May 15, 2034 0.34%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Feb 15, 2036 0.33%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Aug 15, 2034 0.33%

U.S. Treasury Notes, due Aug 15, 2032 0.33%

Only in SYSB

Fannie Mae Pool, due Sep 1, 2054 0.39%

Freddie Mac Pool, due Feb 1, 2056 0.35%

Freddie Mac Pool, due Feb 1, 2056 0.34%

Fannie Mae Pool, due Dec 1, 2054 0.31%

Fannie Mae Pool, due Jan 1, 2056 0.28%

Freddie Mac Pool, due May 1, 2052 0.28%

Freddie Mac Pool, due Jun 1, 2055 0.23%

Ginnie Mae II Pool, due May 20, 2052 0.22%

Check overlap with more funds →

Side by side

IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF SYSB iShares Systematic Bond ETF

Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF

Issuer iShares iShares

What it is Tracks an index of Universal USD Bond Tracks an index

Total return, 1 year −1.2% −1.9%

Its benchmark over the same days not measured −1.2% (IUSB)

Gap to its benchmark not measured −0.7 pts vs IUSB

Expense ratio 0.06% 0.25%

Holdings 18338 853

Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $49.8bn $1.4bn

IUSB and SYSB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-603BAF2CAF

IUSB and SYSB are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

What each follows. IUSB follows Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index and SYSB follows BlackRock Universal Systematic Bond Index.
Holdings in common. 8% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Jul 31, 2026).
Number of holdings. IUSB holds 18,338 positions and SYSB holds 853.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund

IUSB

IUSB tracks an index of Universal USD Bond. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −1.2% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year.

SYSB

SYSB tracks an index. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −1.9% with distributions reinvested, against −1.2% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.25% a year. It sat 3.3% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, IUSB or SYSB?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IUSB returned −1.2% and SYSB −1.9%.
Which is cheaper, IUSB or SYSB?: IUSB is cheaper, by 0.19 percentage points a year. That is about $19 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

IUSB vs PTRB IUSB vs SMTH CGCP vs IUSB IUSB vs JCPB FBND vs SYSB JCPB vs SYSB CGCP vs SYSB BOND vs SYSB

Where to next

IUSB on its own →SYSB on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →IUSB dividend history →IUSB holdings →SYSB dividend history →SYSB holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

IUSB and SYSB filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

IUSB and SYSB prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for IUSB ↗

iShares page for SYSB ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, IUSB against SYSB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iusb-vs-sysb

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Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.