Betashares Australian Equities Bear ETF (BEAR) Review & Analysis

MER · #512 of 514AUM · #380 of 5081Y Return · #241 of 4263Y Return · #297 of 3005Y Return · #217 of 225
What's new this monthData to 30 September 2026
  • +3.0% in September (total return), ahead of the median Australian shares ETF at −2.1%.
  • Investors withdrew a net $1.1m (-3.4% of the fund).
  • The unit price closed the month at $7.43, 5% below its 12-month high (range $7.04 to $7.82).

About BEAR

BEAR is an Australian shares ETF from Betashares, listed on the ASX since July 2012. With $32m under management it is number 64 of 81 Australian shares ETFs by size. The management fee is 1.48% a year, about $148 on every $10,000 invested, dearer than the typical Australian shares ETF at 0.35%.

Over five years it has returned −3.7% a year including distributions, against +5.9% for the median Australian shares ETF.

BEAR distributions and dividend dates

BEAR pays distributions yearly, usually going ex-distribution in July, with payment about 17 days after the ex-date. (Pattern estimated from recent payments.)

The latest distribution was $0.1316 per unit (0% franked), ex-distribution on 1 July 2022 and paid on 18 July 2022. To receive it you need to own BEAR before the ex-date.

Its distribution yield over the past 12 months is about 1.8%. Distributions vary and past payments are not a guide to future ones.

From ASX announcements, updated nightly. See every ETF in the dividend calendar.

Compare BEARCheck overlapBetashares website ↗

Compare BEAR with

BEARvsBBOZ
Betashares Australian Equities Strong Bear ETF
Fee1.48%1.38%
1 year+2.5%+0.7%
5 yrs p.a.−3.7%−12.4%
Size$32m$165m
Same holdingsNo holdings data
Full comparison →
BEARvsAMVE
AB Managed Volatility Equities Fund - MVE Class - Active ETF
Fee1.48%0.55%
1 year+2.5%+1.8%
5 yrs p.a.−3.7%+3.9%
Size$32m$768m
Same holdingsNo holdings data
Full comparison →
BEARvsYMAX
Betashares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF
Fee1.48%0.76%
1 year+2.5%+1.8%
5 yrs p.a.−3.7%+5.6%
Size$32m$696m
Same holdingsNo holdings data
Full comparison →
BEARvsGEAR
Betashares Geared Australian Equities ETF
Fee1.48%0.80%
1 year+2.5%−1.2%
5 yrs p.a.−3.7%+8.4%
Size$32m$572m
Same holdingsNo holdings data
Full comparison →

BEAR price by TradingView

Stock CodeBEAR
Fund ManagerBetashares
Asset ClassAustralian shares
AUM$32m
MER (%)1.48%
Net flows (Sep)−$1.1m
Last Price$7.43
52-Week Range$7.04 – $7.82
Bid/Ask Spread0.17%
Listing Date09/07/2012
ExchangeASX
Index trackedS&P/ASX 200 Index
Issuer websiteBetashares ↗

Performance (% return)

-17%-10%-4%3%1M3.0%1Y2.5%3Y-14.6%5Y-17.1%
1 month+3.0%
1 year+2.5%
3 years p.a.−5.1%
5 years p.a.−3.7%

$10,000 invested…

1 year ago$10,2483 years ago$8,5405 years ago$8,291

Value at 30 September 2026 with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage.

Total returns including distributions, to 30 September 2026. 1M, 1Y, 3Y and 5Y bars are cumulative.

BEAR at a glance: strengths and things to watch

👍 Strengths

  • Long track record. Listed since 2012, through several market cycles.

⚠️ Things to watch

  • Higher fee. At 1.48% a year it costs more than 99% of Australian shares ETFs (median 0.35%), or about $113 a year more on every $10,000.
  • Small fund. With $32m under management, it is more at risk of being closed or merged than larger funds, and trading can be thinner.
  • Behind its peers. −3.7% a year over 5 years, against +5.9% for the median Australian shares ETF.
  • Moves against the market. It is designed to rise when the market falls, and is usually held for short periods only.

Worked out from BEAR's fees, size, flows, returns and trend against the 83 Australian shares ETFs in Australia, to 30 September 2026. General information, not a recommendation.

Joshua StegaetfadviserTrend check
Base since 22 Oct 2026

BEAR is in a base. Here's why that matters.

BEAR's moving averages are tangled and the price is moving sideways. The trend hasn't picked a direction yet. Its price is 3.3% below its 12-month high.

Why it matters: Bases are where the next big move starts. A breakout can begin a new uptrend, while a breakdown can start a long fall. Buying a satellite before the breakout often means waiting months for nothing to happen.

At ETF Adviser the core of a portfolio stays invested through every stage, and satellite ETFs are only bought in an uptrend. Members get a weekly update on which ETFs are breaking out of a base and which trends have broken.

Get the weekly trend updates: try it free for 30 daysHow base and trend works →See every ETF's stage →Visit etfadviser.com.au →
Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26
UptrendBaseDowntrend

BEAR weekly price, past 12 months, shaded by trend stage. Stage as at 7 November 2026, updated weekly. A technical label, not a recommendation.

Investment Focus

Exposure Regions

Australia

Themes & Sectors

Short & inverseActive ETFs

Portfolio Breakdown

Sector breakdown

  • Short Australian Equities ~100.0%100.0%

Holdings from the issuer's published portfolio. Compare BEAR's holdings with other ETFs →

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.

Similar ETFs

CodeNameSame holdingsMERAUM1Y3Y p.a.5Y p.a.
BBOZBetashares Australian Equities Strong Bear ETF Geared–1.38%$165m+0.7%−15.9%−12.4%
AMVEAB Managed Volatility Equities Fund - MVE Class - Active ETF Active–0.55%$768m+1.8%+8.0%+3.9%
YMAXBetashares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF Covered call–0.76%$696m+1.8%+7.2%+5.6%
GEARBetashares Geared Australian Equities ETF Geared–0.80%$572m−1.2%+17.1%+8.4%
VASVanguard Australian Shares Index ETF–0.07%$26.7bn+2.2%+10.8%+6.5%
A200Betashares Australia 200 ETF–0.04%$11.1bn+2.9%+11.0%+6.9%

Same holdings is the share of BEAR's money in companies the other ETF also holds, weighted by size. No other ETF shares much with BEAR, so these are ETFs in the same category. See every ETF like BEAR →

BEAR vs its closest alternatives

What actually differs between BEAR and the ETFs most like it. Data to 30 Sep 2026.

BBOZ Betashares Australian Equities Strong Bear ETF

  • BBOZ is cheaper (1.38% vs 1.48%), worth about $5,602 on $100,000 over 20 years.
  • Over 3 years, a year: BEAR −5.1%, BBOZ −15.9% (BEAR ahead by 10.8 percentage points).
  • BBOZ is about 5 times larger ($165m vs $32m), which usually means tighter trading spreads.

Compare BEAR and BBOZ side by side →

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

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BEAR FAQs

What is the fee for BEAR?

BEAR charges a management fee (MER) of 1.48% a year, according to the TMX Australia monthly funds report as at 30 September 2026.

How big is BEAR?

BEAR had $32m in funds under management as at 30 September 2026.

How has BEAR performed?

BEAR returned +2.5% over the year to 30 September 2026 (total return, including distributions). Over three years it returned −5.1% a year. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Who manages BEAR?

BEAR is managed by Betashares and has been listed since July 2012.

Disclaimer

This review is general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the Betashares product disclosure statement (PDS) and target market determination (TMD) before investing. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.