Data as of .
ISTM vs SETM: which is really different?
ISTM and SETM hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and ISTM 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 SETM hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in ISTM | Only in SETM |
|---|---|
| BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY 23.30% | Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 5.00% |
| CASH COLLATERAL USD BZUFT 9.75% | Cameco Corp. 4.91% |
| TREASURY BILL 2.93% | Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. 4.73% |
| TREASURY BILL 2.93% | PLS Group Ltd. 4.05% |
| CRH AMERICA FINANCE INC 144A 1.52% | NAC Kazatomprom JSC 3.57% |
| TREASURY BILL 1.47% | Hecla Mining Co. 3.46% |
| TREASURY BILL 1.46% | First Majestic Silver Corp. 3.42% |
| FIDELITY NATL INFO SERV 144A 0.91% | Albemarle Corp. 3.37% |
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 17, 2026 and Sep 18, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISTM | SETM | ISTM | SETM | ISTM | SETM | |
| 3 months | +2.2% | −9.0% | −0.1 pts | −11.3 pts | +4.7 pts | −6.5 pts |
| 6 months | +11.0% | +5.4% | −7.0 pts | −12.6 pts | −13.2 pts | −18.8 pts |
| 1 year | +43.4% | +37.9% | +26.9 pts | +21.4 pts | +21.6 pts | +16.2 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +82.1% | not published | +3.7 pts | not published | −16.1 pts |
| Since launch | +86.4% | +61.6% | +2.1 pts | −30.1 pts | −18.4 pts | −74.6 pts |
| ISTM iShares Strategic Metals ETF Holds 98 stocks in rare earth and critical materials, 0% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | SETM Sprott Critical Materials ETF Holds 156 stocks in rare earth and critical materials, 8% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | iShares | Sprott |
| Theme | Rare earth and critical materials | Rare earth and critical materials |
| In the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 8.4% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 100.0% | 99.8% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 98 | 156 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 46.0% | 39.0% |
| Expense ratio | 0.47% | 0.65% |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.47% | 0.65% |
| Total return, 1 year | +43.4% | +37.9% |
| vs the S&P 500 | +26.9 pts | +21.4 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | +21.6 pts | +16.2 pts |
| Below its high | −13.6% | −21.8% |
| Net assets | $34m | $568m |
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 17, 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.
SETM in plain words
By weight, 8% of SETM'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 39% of the fund across 156 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +37.9% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 21.4 pts. It sits 21.8% below its all-time high of Jan 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do ISTM and SETM 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 SETM?
- ISTM has 0% of its weight in S&P 500 names and SETM has 8%, so ISTM differs more from the index.
- Which is cheaper, ISTM or SETM?
- ISTM charges 0.47% a year and SETM charges 0.65%, so ISTM 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 SETM, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/istm-vs-setm Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.