Data as of .
ISTM vs RING: which is really different?
ISTM and RING hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and RING returned more over the year.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: ISTM scores higher
How much of it is not the index it is sold as an alternative to?
A percentile among the 379 thematic ETFs with a holdings filing. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All thematic ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
0% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, ISTM and RING hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | ISTM | RING |
|---|---|---|
| BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY | 17.46% | 0.08% |
| USD CASH | 3.30% | 0.05% |
| Only in ISTM | Only in RING |
|---|---|
| CASH COLLATERAL USD BZUFT 9.45% | NEWMONT 16.36% |
| TREASURY BILL 2.92% | AGNICO EAGLE MINES 12.29% |
| TREASURY BILL 2.91% | BARRICK MINING 8.16% |
| CRH AMERICA FINANCE INC 144A 1.51% | WHEATON PRECIOUS METALS 7.58% |
| TREASURY BILL 1.46% | GOLD FIELDS 4.35% |
| TREASURY BILL 1.45% | ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI PLC 4.28% |
| DUKE ENERGY CORP 144A 1.02% | KINROSS GOLD 4.25% |
| KOCH COMPANIES LLC 0.99% | COEUR MINING 3.38% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Sep 18, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISTM | RING | ISTM | RING | ISTM | RING | |
| 3 months | +2.2% | +17.9% | −0.1 pts | +15.6 pts | +4.7 pts | +20.3 pts |
| 6 months | +11.0% | +21.9% | −7.0 pts | +3.9 pts | −13.2 pts | −2.3 pts |
| 1 year | +43.4% | +45.3% | +26.9 pts | +28.7 pts | +21.6 pts | +23.5 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +286.7% | not published | +208.3 pts | not published | +188.5 pts |
| Since launch | +86.4% | +97.9% | +2.1 pts | −543.5 pts | −18.4 pts | −1138.6 pts |
| ISTM iShares Strategic Metals ETF Holds 98 stocks in rare earth and critical materials, 0% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | RING iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF Holds 55 stocks in gold miners, 16% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| Theme | Rare earth and critical materials | Gold miners |
| In the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 16.4% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 100.0% | 99.8% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 98 | 55 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 46.0% | 67.0% |
| Expense ratio | 0.47% | 0.39% |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.47% | 0.39% |
| Total return, 1 year | +43.4% | +45.3% |
| vs the S&P 500 | +26.9 pts | +28.7 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | +21.6 pts | +23.5 pts |
| Below its high | −13.6% | −14.8% |
| Net assets | $34m | $2.5bn |
ISTM in plain words
By weight, 0% of ISTM's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 46% of the fund across 98 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +43.4% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 26.9 pts. It sits 13.6% below its all-time high of Jan 29, 2026.
RING in plain words
By weight, 16% of RING's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 67% of the fund across 55 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +45.3% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 28.7 pts. It sits 14.8% below its all-time high of Feb 27, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do ISTM and RING hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight, which is mostly different names. Overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of every security they share.
- Which is more different from the S&P 500, ISTM or RING?
- ISTM has 0% of its weight in S&P 500 names and RING has 16%, so ISTM differs more from the index.
- Which is cheaper, ISTM or RING?
- ISTM charges 0.47% a year and RING charges 0.39%, so RING is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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, ISTM against RING, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/istm-vs-ring Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.