βš”οΈ Head to head

USTB vs TBIL: Which ETF Is Better?

A side-by-side comparison of fees, size, returns and holdings, using data to 30 September 2026.

USTB comes out ahead on 6 of 8 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

The big difference is currency. USTB is currency hedged, so its returns ignore moves in the Australian dollar. TBIL is unhedged: it does better when the dollar falls and worse when it rises.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeUSTB wins
USTB
0.19%
TBIL
0.22%

Worth about $2,092 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundUSTB wins
USTB
$453m
TBIL
$110m

Bigger funds usually trade more cheaply and are less likely to close.

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnUSTB wins
USTB
βˆ’1.5%
TBIL
βˆ’2.0%
πŸ“Š3-year returnUSTB wins
USTB
+2.6% a yr
TBIL
+1.6% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeTBIL wins
USTB
0.19%
TBIL
0.08%

A tighter gap between the buy and sell price.

USTB vs TBIL side by side

USTB leads on 6, TBIL on 2USTBGlobal X US Treasury Bond ETF (Currency Hedged)TBILVanEck 1-3 Month US Treasury Bond ETF
The basics
Index trackedSee the PDSBloomberg US Treasury Bills 1-3 Months Index (AUD) Index
Fund managerGlobal XVanEck
Asset classInternational bondsInternational bonds
ListedJul 2022May 2023
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.19%βœ“0.22%
AUMfund size$453mβœ“$110m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$2.6mβœ“$1.1m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.19%0.08%βœ“
Total returns
1 monthβˆ’1.7%+2.9%βœ“
1 yearβˆ’1.5%βœ“βˆ’2.0%
3 years p.a.+2.6%βœ“+1.6%
5 years p.a.––
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$9,854βœ“$9,802
5 years ago––

βœ“ marks the better figure on each measure. Returns include distributions, to 30 September 2026.

USTB vs TBIL price chart

Both ETFs on one chart as % change. Use the 1D to All buttons to change the period. Price only, so it leaves out distributions Β· TradingView

πŸ“ˆ Growth

What $10,000 invested is worth now

$10,000 put into USTB 3 years ago is worth $10,803 today, against $10,503 in TBIL. That is $300 more in USTB.

USTBTBIL$10,000 invested
$0k$4k$8k$12k$16k$9.9k$9.8k1 year agoUSTB +$52$10.8k$10.5k3 years agoUSTB +$300

Total returns to 30 September 2026, with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage. The price chart above leaves out distributions, so it can look worse. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

πŸ’Έ Cost

What the fees cost you

USTB's lower fee leaves about $2,092 more in your pocket over 20 years.

USTB charges 0.19% a yearTBIL charges 0.22% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
USTB
βˆ’$1,241
TBIL
βˆ’$1,436
You keep$195more with USTB
10 years
USTB
βˆ’$3,465
TBIL
βˆ’$4,007
You keep$542more with USTB
20 years
USTB
βˆ’$13,513
TBIL
βˆ’$15,606
You keep$2,092more with USTB

Total fees paid on a $100,000 investment, assuming a 7% a year return before fees. Illustration only: it ignores tax, brokerage and differences in returns.

USTB and TBIL overlap

100%portfolio overlap (very high: holding both adds little diversification)

1 companies appear in both funds. Overlap is the share of the portfolio that is the same in both, counting the smaller weight of each shared company.

Biggest shared holdings% of USTB% of TBIL
100.00%100.00%

Add more ETFs and see the overlap in Compare ETFs β†’

Best-endeavours estimate. Built from each issuer's published holdings, which may be weeks or months old, may cover only part of a fund (some publish only their top 10) and are matched by company name. Figures may be incomplete or inaccurate. Check the issuer's website and PDS before relying on them. General information only.

Free PDF report

Get the full USTB vs TBIL report

  • Every holding of each ETF: the top 50 companies, with sectors and countries
  • Exactly which companies they share, and how much of each
  • Fees in dollars over 10, 20 and 30 years
  • Every metric side by side, including the index each tracks
  • β˜… FREE BONUSIs now a good time to invest? The Market Health-O-Meter
⬇ Get the free report
Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
Keep in touch with the marketsWeekly ETF research, the Market Health-O-Meter and our model portfolio.Try it free for 30 days β†’

FAQs

Which is better, USTB or TBIL?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers USTB wins on 6 measures and TBIL on 2. USTB is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.19% vs 0.22%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $2,092. USTB is the larger fund at $453m vs $110m. USTB has the better 1-year return: βˆ’1.5% vs βˆ’2.0%.

Which is cheaper, USTB or TBIL?

USTB charges 0.19% a year and TBIL charges 0.22% a year.

Can I hold both USTB and TBIL?

You can, but check how much they overlap. USTB is a international bonds fund and TBIL is a international bonds fund.

More comparisons

VBND vs USTB

Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

General information only, not a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.