Are IUSB and XBI in the same category?

IUSB is a bond ETF and XBI is a thematic ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.

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

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IUSB returned −1.2% and XBI +41.2%.

Which is cheaper, IUSB or XBI?

IUSB is cheaper, by 0.29 percentage points a year. That is about $29 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

IUSB vs XBI: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IUSB returned −1.2% to XBI's +41.2%, and IUSB charges 0.06% to XBI's 0.35%.

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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $49.8bn for iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF and $10.3bn for State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF.

IUSB on its own →XBI on its own →

At a glance

−1.2%

IUSB total return, 1 year

+41.2%

XBI total return, 1 year

0.06%

IUSB expense ratio

0.35%

XBI expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IUSB costs 0.29 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 42.4 points; IUSB is 4.8 times larger.

IUSB vs XBI: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	IUSB	XBI
Return
Measure	IUSB	XBI
Total return, 1 year	−1.2%	+41.2%
Drawdown
Measure	IUSB	XBI
Below its all-time high		8.9%, high on Feb 8, 2021
Benchmark
Measure	IUSB	XBI
What it tracks	Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index	Biotech
Cost and size
Measure	IUSB	XBI
Expense ratio	0.06%	0.35%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$49.8bn	$10.3bn
Active share vs the S&P 500		98%
Holdings
Measure	IUSB	XBI
Holdings in common	0%
In the S&P 500, by weight		13%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund		18%

Holdings in common uses holdings dated Oct 27, 2026. Method

What they share

By the books each fund has filed, IUSB and XBI hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Oct 27, 2026.

50%

0 half 100%

half

0% in common

Positions both hold · largest shared weight first IUSB XBI

Only in one fund ↓

Only in IUSB

BLK Liquidity Temp Cash Inst #21 4.75%

TREASURY NOTE 0.49%

TREASURY NOTE 0.42%

TREASURY NOTE 0.41%

TREASURY NOTE 0.38%

TREASURY NOTE 0.37%

TREASURY NOTE (2OLD) 0.36%

UMBS 15YR TBA(REG B) 0.35%

Only in XBI

MODERNA INC 2.24%

TWIST BIOSCIENCE CORP 1.86%

NATERA INC 1.82%

BIOGEN INC 1.75%

HALOZYME THERAPEUTICS INC 1.75%

UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORP 1.71%

AMGEN INC 1.68%

ABBVIE INC 1.67%

Check overlap with more funds →

Side by side

IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF XBI State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF

Where it sits Bond ETF Thematic ETF

Issuer iShares State Street

What it is Tracks an index of Universal USD Bond Biotech

Total return, 1 year −1.2% +41.2%

Expense ratio 0.06% 0.35%

Holdings 18338 165

Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 $49.8bn $10.3bn

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

Alert

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.

XBI

By weight, 13% of XBI's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 98%. The top ten holdings are 18% of the fund across 165 positions, as published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 the fund returned +41.2% with distributions reinvested. It sits 8.9% below its all-time high of Feb 8, 2021.

Questions people ask

Are IUSB and XBI in the same category?: IUSB is a bond ETF and XBI is a thematic ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, IUSB or XBI?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IUSB returned −1.2% and XBI +41.2%.
Which is cheaper, IUSB or XBI?: IUSB is cheaper, by 0.29 percentage points a year. That is about $29 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

IBB vs IUSB BITO vs IUSB IUSB vs PDBC CGBL vs IUSB BOND vs XBI EMB vs XBI PFF vs XBI EDV vs XBI

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

IUSB filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

IUSB prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for IUSB ↗

XBI filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

XBI prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

State Street website ↗

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 XBI, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iusb-vs-xbi

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