What is the difference between a fund's category and its holdings?

A fund's category, such as Europe Stock or Large Blend, indicates its intended market focus. For instance, SPEU aims for European equity markets while SPY focuses on large-cap U.S. companies. The category helps define the geographic and size exposure. Actual holdings, however, reveal which specific companies make up the fund. SPEU does not have available holdings data, but SPY reveals top positions like NVIDIA and Apple, showing the underlying stock composition.

What does an expense ratio show?

The expense ratio is the annual cost of running a fund, expressed as a percentage of assets, which reduces returns. For example, a 0.07% fee on $10,000 means paying roughly $7 per year, whereas a 0.09% fee would cost $9. SPEU has a slightly lower expense ratio at 0.07% compared to SPY at 0.09%. This small difference can accumulate over many years. Investors should compare fees as part of their overall strategy.

What does net assets mean?

Net assets refer to the total market value of the fund, also known as assets under management. Higher assets, like SPY's $785 billion, often signal better liquidity and tighter trading spreads for large orders. In contrast, SPEU's $712 million is much smaller, suggesting a different trading scale. Liquidity and fund size can impact how easily shares are bought or sold and at the expected price.

What is the expense ratio difference between the two?

SPEU has an expense ratio of 0.07%, while SPY has a ratio of 0.09%. This means the difference is 0.02 percentage points per year. If you invested $10,000, this equates to a $2 annual fee difference. Although small, these fees compound over decades, affecting returns. The choice between lower fees and other fund characteristics depends on your overall investment strategy and goals.

Do the funds have significant holdings overlap?

There is no overlap between the top-10 listed holdings. SPY features major U.S. technology companies like NVIDIA and Apple, whereas SPEU's top holdings are not available for review. Therefore, it is impossible to assess if the companies in the European index overlap. The lack of transparency on SPEU's positions means an investor cannot determine portfolio concentration or potential diversification across these two specific SPDR ETFs without additional data.

Which fund has a higher dividend yield and how?

SPEU offers a dividend yield of 3.52%, while SPY has a yield of 0.98%. SPEU's yield is significantly higher due to the nature of European equities, which often pay more relative to price than U.S. growth stocks. Distributions generally occur periodically and are paid from company dividends. Higher yields can be attractive for income, but they might come with trade-offs like sector concentration or capital growth patterns.

What geographic regions do the funds cover?

SPEU tracks European equity markets, specifically targeting the STOXX Europe 50 index. This exposure covers large-cap companies across Europe. In contrast, SPY targets the U.S. equity market, tracking the S&P 500 index of large American companies. The two funds are complementary geographically, covering different continents and economies. SPEU's index methodology is not publicly available here, but SPY clearly maps to the major U.S. benchmark.

How do the two funds differ?

SPY tracks the S&P 500 and focuses on U.S. large-cap growth, especially technology. SPEU tracks the STOXX Europe 50, covering large-cap European stocks. Their geographic differences result in varying sector compositions. SPY provides transparency with top holdings like Apple and NVIDIA, while SPEU's data is limited. Investors use SPY for U.S. market exposure and SPEU for a regional European slice, each serving a distinct part of a global portfolio.

How transparent are the holdings?

Transparency levels differ significantly. SPY publishes detailed top-10 holdings, showing major exposure to technology and consumer companies. SPEU does not currently provide its top holdings or sector weights. This lack of data makes it hard to know the fund's composition. Investors should be aware that incomplete disclosure on SPEU can make risk assessment and diversification analysis difficult without additional resources.

What does inception date indicate?

The inception date shows when the fund started. SPY began on 22 January 1993, offering a 30-year history. SPEU was launched on 15 October 2002, giving it a 22-year track record. This longer operational history for SPY demonstrates the ETF's longevity and stability. However, SPEU has also survived for over two decades, suggesting some resilience in its market strategy.

What does the category tell you about a fund?

Category describes a fund's core market focus. SPY is labelled Large Blend, meaning it includes U.S. large-cap stocks across various sectors like technology, healthcare, and finance. SPEU is Europe Stock, focusing on large-cap companies across European markets. Knowing the category helps investors understand what the fund holds and whether it complements other assets. It sets the geographic and economic boundaries of the investment.

SPEU vs SPY

Two funds, one decision: we compare cost, performance and what each ETF actually holds in October 2026.

Compare SPEU (SPDR STOXX Europe 50 ETF) and SPY (S&P 500 ETF Trust SPDR) side-by-side. This page reviews fees, holdings, dividends and how each fund tracks its market to help you understand key differences between these two SPDR ETFs. Educational content, not financial advice.

Compare SPEU (SPDR STOXX Europe 50 ETF) and SPY (S&P 500 ETF Trust SPDR) side-by-side. This page reviews fees, holdings, dividends and how each fund tracks its market to help you understand key differ...

Fund Snapshot

Key Fund Metrics

SPEU

Metric

SPY

0.07%

Expense Ratio

0.09%

3.52%

Dividend Yield

0.98%

$711.95M

Net Assets

$785.05B

1,735

Holdings

505

Oct 15, 2002

Inception Date

Jan 22, 1993

–

Index Tracked

–

Europe Stock

Fund Category

Large Blend

SPEU costs about $2.00 less per year for every $10,000 invested.

Shared Top Holdings

These funds do not share any of their top holdings.

Discover More Comparisons

SDY vs SPY

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SCHD vs SPY

SCHD vs SPY compared: a 3.12% dividend yield at 0.06% or the full S&P 500 at 0.09%. See the fee difference, holdings, yield and fund size side by side.

DIA vs SPY

DIA vs SPY: DIA tracks the 30-stock Dow for 0.16% a year and yields 1.4%. SPY tracks the S&P 500 for 0.09%, a $7 gap per $10,000. Compare holdings and size.

Investment Analysis

SPEU

Pros

The fund has a low expense ratio of 0.07%, reducing ongoing investor costs.
Its inception date of 15 October 2002 gives it a longer operational history.
Net assets of $712 million indicate a stable, established fund size.

Considerations

The dividend yield is 3.52%, which can be less tax-efficient in taxable accounts.
Top holdings and sector weights are not available, making analysis difficult.
The tracked index methodology is not available, reducing transparency.

SPY

Pros

The net assets of $785.0 billion suggest extremely high liquidity for large trades.
Its inception date of 22 January 1993 gives it a very long operational record.
The dividend yield is 0.98%, potentially offering tax efficiency in taxable accounts.

Considerations

The fund's top holdings show significant concentration in the largest technology companies.
It has a higher expense ratio of 0.09% compared to some newer low-cost peers.
The tracked index methodology is not available, limiting full transparency.

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About SPEU and SPY

SPEU (SPEU)

SPDR STOXX Europe 50 ETF (SPEU) is an exchange-traded fund that aims to track the STOXX Europe 50 index, which represents 50 large-cap companies across several European markets. The ETF provides broad, blue‑chip exposure to sectors such as financials, consumer goods, healthcare and industrials, making it a straightforward way to gain continental European equity exposure within a single tradeable instrument. SPEU typically holds constituents in line with index weights; check the fund factsheet for exact replication method and the current ongoing charge. Investors should be aware of currency risk, sector concentration and geopolitical factors that can influence European markets. Dividends may be distributed or accumulated depending on share class, and liquidity and spreads vary by listing venue. Market cap is not applicable for an ETF in the same way as for single companies. This is general educational information only and not personal investment advice; suitability depends on individual circumstances and risk tolerance.

SPY (SPY)

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an exchange‑traded fund designed to track the S&P 500 index, offering investors broad exposure to large‑capitalisation US equities. It is widely used by retail and institutional investors for core portfolio allocation, tactical trading and hedging because of its deep liquidity and transparent holdings. SPY distributes dividends (typically quarterly) and reflects the performance of the underlying index, so returns move with the US large‑cap market. As with any equity product, value can fall as well as rise and past performance is not a guide to the future. Costs, tax considerations and suitability will depend on an individual’s circumstances; consult official documents and consider seeking independent advice where appropriate. This summary is general educational information and not personalised investment advice.

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