Data as of .
WAR vs XDEF: which is really different?
WAR and XDEF hold 4% of their weight in the same names.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: XDEF 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
4% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, WAR and XDEF hold 4% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | WAR | XDEF |
|---|---|---|
| Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC | 4.09% | 8.64% |
| Only in WAR | Only in XDEF |
|---|---|
| Astera Labs Inc 9.50% | AIRBUS SE 8.69% |
| Axon Enterprise Inc 8.76% | SAFRAN SA 8.26% |
| Micron Technology Inc 8.59% | BAE SYSTEMS PLC 7.30% |
| Mildef Group AB 7.21% | RHEINMETALL AG 6.95% |
| DroneShield Ltd 5.04% | DSV A/S 4.70% |
| Intuitive Machines Inc 4.98% | THALES SA 4.40% |
| Teradyne Inc 4.96% | MTU AERO ENGINES AG 4.29% |
| Electro Optic Systems Holdings 4.11% | MELROSE INDUSTRIES PLC 4.28% |
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 Jun 30, 2026 and May 31, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAR | XDEF | WAR | XDEF | WAR | XDEF | |
| 3 months | −7.9% | +1.8% | −10.2 pts | −0.5 pts | −5.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
| 6 months | not published | −0.4% | not published | −18.5 pts | not published | −24.7 pts |
| Since launch | −9.7% | −99.1% | −11.7 pts | −111.5 pts | −8.6 pts | −117.1 pts |
| WAR U.S. Global Technology and Aerospace & Defense ETF Holds 28 stocks in defense, 38% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF Holds 30 stocks in defense, 0% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | U.S. Global | Xtrackers |
| Theme | Defense | Defense |
| In the S&P 500 | 38.3% | 0.0% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 92.4% | 100.0% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 31.5% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 28 | 30 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 61.3% | 61.5% |
| Expense ratio | 0.60% | 0.35% |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.65% | 0.35% |
| Total return, 1 year | −9.7% (since launch on May 26, 2026) | −99.1% (since launch on Jan 2, 2026) |
| vs the S&P 500 | −11.7 pts | −111.5 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | −8.6 pts | −117.1 pts |
| Below its high | −13.8% | −99.2% |
| Net assets | $41m | $4m |
WAR in plain words
By weight, 38% of WAR's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 92%. The top ten holdings are 61% of the fund across 28 positions, as filed for Jun 30, 2026. Since it launched on May 26, 2026 the fund returned −9.7% with distributions reinvested against +2.0% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 11.7 pts. It sits 13.8% below its all-time high of Jun 2, 2026.
XDEF in plain words
By weight, 0% of XDEF'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 62% of the fund across 30 positions, as filed for May 31, 2026. Since it launched on Jan 2, 2026 the fund returned −99.1% with distributions reinvested against +12.4% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 111.5 pts. It sits 99.2% below its all-time high of Jan 16, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do WAR and XDEF hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 4% 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, WAR or XDEF?
- WAR has 38% of its weight in S&P 500 names and XDEF has 0%, so XDEF differs more from the index.
- Which is cheaper, WAR or XDEF?
- WAR charges 0.60% a year and XDEF charges 0.35%, so XDEF 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, WAR against XDEF, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/war-vs-xdef Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.