Data as of Nov 4, 2026.
SPY vs XDEC: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, SPY returned +14.8% to XDEC's +9.4%, and SPY charges 0.09% to XDEC's 0.85%.
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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $804.8bn for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and $208m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December.
Pair scorecard
SPY costs 0.76 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.4 points; SPY is far larger, $804.8bn against $208m.
| Measure | SPY | XDEC |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +14.8% | +9.4% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Index fall to the buffer | 11.2% | |
| Fund price fall to the buffer | 8.4% | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | S&P 500 Index | SPY |
| The outcome period | ||
| Buffer left, in index points | 15.0% of 15.0% | |
| Days left in the period | 44 | |
| Period ends | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.85% |
| Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 | $804.8bn | $208m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| In the S&P 500, by weight | 100% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 37.3% | |
Side by side
SPY and XDEC on the fields both publish, as of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
SPY
SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Nov 4, 2026 it returned +14.8% with distributions reinvested, against +14.8% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Nov 3, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 504 positions, with the top ten at 37.3%.
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.1% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 0.9% as the period runs out.
The fund's price can fall 8.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 44 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Are SPY and XDEC in the same category?
- SPY is a stock ETF and XDEC is a buffer ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
- Which returned more over the last year, SPY or XDEC?
- In the year to Nov 4, 2026, with distributions reinvested, SPY returned +14.8% and XDEC +9.4%.
- Which is cheaper, SPY or XDEC?
- SPY is cheaper, by 0.76 percentage points a year. That is about $76 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, SPY against XDEC, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xdec
ETFIQ. (Nov 4, 2026). SPY against XDEC. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xdec
[SPY against XDEC (ETFIQ, Nov 4, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xdec)
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