ETF Versus

BIL vs XLF

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF vs State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

BIL State Street

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to short-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with low interest rate risk. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.14%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.95%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.14% Yield: 3.95% Since: 2007-05-30
XLF State Street

State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - financials securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.60%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 1.60% Since: 1998-12-22

Quick Verdict

XLF has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.09% vs 0.14%), saving about $99 per $10,000 over 10 years. BIL has edged ahead over the past year (-0.0% vs -1.3%). Income investors may prefer BIL for its higher yield (4.0% vs 1.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric BIL XLF
Expense Ratio 0.14% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 1.6%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Short-Term Treasury US Sector - Financials

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

85 101 117 133 149 165 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
BIL -0.1%
XLF +42.5%

Performance Comparison

Period BIL XLF Difference
1 Month +0.03% -3.34% +3.37%
3 Months +0.01% -9.89% +9.90%
6 Months -0.09% -7.82% +7.73%
YTD +0.01% -9.89% +9.90%
1 Year -0.01% -1.32% +1.31%
3 Years -0.04% +53.68% -53.72%
5 Years -0.08% +42.49% -42.57%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BIL Fees XLF Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $278 $179 $99
$10,000 20 years $1,194 $771 $423
$10,000 30 years $3,841 $2,486 $1,355
$50,000 10 years $1,391 $896 $495
$50,000 30 years $19,203 $12,428 $6,775
$100,000 30 years $38,406 $24,855 $13,551

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BIL XLF
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 18.7%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -26.9%
Sharpe Ratio -4.14 0.23

Dividend Comparison

Metric BIL XLF
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.62 $0.79
Dividend Yield 3.95% 1.60%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLF if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose BIL if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

Related Comparisons