Data as of Sep 21, 2026.
SPY vs XBOC: how they differ
Over the year SPY returned more, +16.6% to XBOC's +11.0%, and SPY charges 0.09% to XBOC's 0.79%.
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Oct.
| SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | XBOC Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF - Oct | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core fund | Buffer ETF |
| Issuer | State Street | Innovator |
| What it is | Tracks the S&P 500 | Defined outcome, 9% on SPY |
| Total return, 1 year | +16.6% | +11.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +16.6% | +16.6% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | 0.0 pts | −5.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.79% |
| Holdings | 505 | not filed |
| Net assets | $785.0bn | $64m |
SPY in plain words
SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 it returned +16.6% with distributions reinvested, against +16.6% for the S&P 500 and +21.8% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 505 positions, with the top ten at 38.6%.
XBOC in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.7% for the period on Sep 21, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 0.0% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 10.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 13.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 9 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, SPY or XBOC?
- In the year to Sep 21, 2026, with distributions reinvested, SPY returned +16.6% and XBOC returned +11.0%, so SPY returned more.
- Which is cheaper, SPY or XBOC?
- SPY charges 0.09% a year and XBOC charges 0.79%, so SPY is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are SPY and XBOC the same kind of fund?
- No. SPY is an index ETF and XBOC is a buffer ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
Other comparisons
Where to next
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, SPY against XBOC, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xboc Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources