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BBC vs XBI

Virtus Biotech Clinical Trials ETF

BBCDNYSE Arca

State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF

XBIANYSE Arca

Overlap

Expense ratio

XBI −0.30pt a year

BBC0.65%XBI0.35%

Avg volume · 30D

XBI 362.7×the volume

BBC24.7KXBI8.95M

10Y return · a year

XBI +1.4pt

BBC+9.5%XBI+10.9%

BBC vs XBI Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

0.0%BBC+25.8%XBI

Oct 29, 2021 to Oct 30, 2026. BBC 0.0%. XBI +25.8%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−60%−40%−20%40%Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026
Expense ratio
BBC 0.65%
XBI 0.35%, better
Fund size
BBC $35M
XBI $10.8B
1Y total return
BBC +35.6%
XBI +39.0%, better
Yield (12M)
BBC 1.52%, better
XBI 0.35%
Holdings
BBC 130
XBI 164
Avg volume (30D)
BBC 24.7K sh
XBI 8.95M sh, better
NAV per share
BBC $44.05
XBI $157.82
52W range

ETF.net Grade

BBC: Cost 13, Risk 12, Mission 45, Tradability 22, Holdings 93, Durability 48. XBI: Cost 81, Risk 47, Mission 85, Tradability 99, Holdings 88, Durability 89.
Pillar letters and Scores for BBC, XBI, with each pillar’s weight
PillarBBCXBI
Cost30% weightF13A81Higher
Mission25% weightC45A85Higher
Risk15% weightF12C47Higher
Tradability15% weightF22A99Higher
Holdings10% weightA93HigherA88
Durability5% weightC48A89Higher

Rank among Biotech & Genomics funds

Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. BBC and XBI are both graded against the same 17 Biotech & Genomics funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Biotech & Genomics⁠

Category · 17 funds
See all 17 ›

XBI ranks 1st and BBC 16th of 17 funds in the Biotech & Genomics Category.

  1. Rank 1AXBIState Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETFScore 80
  2. Rank 2AIBBQInvesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETFScore 77
  3. Rank 15DARKGARK Genomic Revolution ETFScore 33
  4. Rank 16DBBCVirtus Biotech Clinical Trials ETFScore 31
  5. Rank 17DCANCTema Oncology ETFScore 30

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

BBCDVirtus Biotech Clinical Trials ETF

XBIAState Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF

In short

BBC Most biotech funds blend approved-drug cash machines with science projects. BBC keeps only the science projects: US-listed biotechs whose lead drug is still in clinical trials, spread across roughly 200 names.

XBI Biotech's great leveler. Its index weights roughly 160 US biotechs near-equally, so a clinical-stage minnow carries about as much as a megacap. Live since 2006 and one of the most heavily traded funds in the sector.

Stated mandate

BBC The Fund seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the investment results of the LifeSci Biotechnology Clinical Trials Index. The Index comprises U.S.-listed biotechnology stocks with a lead drug in clinical-stage development.

XBI The fund seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index.

Why people hold it

  • BBC A genuinely narrow mandate: the index takes U.S.-listed biotechs with a lead drug in clinical-stage development, so commercial-stage giants stay out.
  • Roughly 200 holdings, so one failed readout is a dent, not the whole fund.
  • The basket lines up tightly with what the prospectus says it owns, one of the cleaner mandate-to-portfolio matches in biotech.
  • Running since 2014, which makes it one of the longer-lived pure clinical-stage plays rather than a recent theme launch.
  • XBI Modified equal weighting spreads exposure across roughly 160 biotechs instead of a handful of giants, so small drug developers actually move the fund.ssga.com
  • 0.35% a year sits below the typical fee in its biotech peer group, which is unusual for a specialist sleeve this narrow.
  • Among the most heavily traded funds in biotech and multi-billion-dollar in size, so getting in and out is rarely the hard part.
  • A 2006 launch from State Street's SPDR line, meaning it has traded through several biotech booms and busts rather than one hot cycle. Pays quarterly.

Worth knowing

  • BBC At 0.65% a year it costs more than the typical biotech fund, and more than broad peers like XBI (0.35%) and IBB (0.44%).
  • Small asset base and thin trading, so spreads can widen and large orders move the price.
  • Pre-approval biotech is binary by nature, and on our review the fund sits in the lower tier of its biotech peer group overall.
  • XBI Equal weighting leans hard on smaller, clinical-stage names where a single trial readout moves a stock, so swings run deeper than cap-weighted rivals like IBB.ssga.comnasdaqomx.com
  • Not the cheapest ticket on the shelf: Invesco's IBBQ charges 0.19% against XBI's 0.35%.
  • One US industry only, drawn from the biotechnology segment of the S&P Total Market Index, so it can drift a long way from the broad market either direction.ssga.com

Full BBC profile⁠

Full XBI profile⁠

BBC vs XBI Holdings

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

BBC vs XBI Cost

Overpaying BBC vs XBI

$5,591

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • BBC 0.65%

    $12,717

  • XBI 0.35%

    $7,126

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • BBC 0.65%
  • XBI 0.35%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$5K$10K$15K051015202530BBC $12,717XBI $7,126

Year by year

YearBBCXBIOverpaying
10$1,163$634$529
20$4,440$2,454$1,986
30$12,717$7,126$5,591

Expense ratio

  • 0.65%BBC
  • 0.35%XBI, cheaper
  • Middle half of Biotech & Genomics funds
  • Median 0.47%

XBI 3rd cheapest of 17 funds

BBC 15th cheapest of 17 funds

BBC vs XBI Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
BBC 1.52%, better
XBI 0.35%
Payout (12M)
BBC $0.66
XBI $0.54
Last payment
BBC $0.66
XBI $0.14
Ex-dividend
BBC Dec 22, 2025
XBI Jun 22, 2026
Paid on
BBC Dec 29, 2025
XBI Jun 24, 2026
Frequency
BBC Annual
XBI Twice a year

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

BBCAnnual · 4 paymentsAll BBC payments⁠
One bar per payment. 4 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Dec 20, 2017 $0.30; Dec 20, 2023 $0.08; Dec 20, 2024 $0.24; Dec 22, 2025 $0.66. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.502017202020232026YTD
XBITwice a year · 24 paymentsAll XBI payments⁠
One bar per payment. 24 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Mar 17, 2017 $0.02; Jun 16, 2017 $0.11; Sep 15, 2017 $0.04; Dec 15, 2017 $0.04; Mar 16, 2018 $0.06; Jun 15, 2018 $0.06; Sep 21, 2018 $0.07; Dec 21, 2018 $0.01; Sep 20, 2019 $0.0032; Dec 20, 2019 $0.00086; Jun 22, 2020 $0.02; Sep 21, 2020 $0.09; Dec 21, 2020 $0.18; Mar 22, 2021 $0.04; Jun 20, 2023 $0.0026; Dec 18, 2023 $0.01; Jun 24, 2024 $0.11; Sep 23, 2024 $0.02; Dec 23, 2024 $0.0027; Mar 24, 2025 $0.0053; Jun 23, 2025 $0.0073; Sep 22, 2025 $0.03; Dec 22, 2025 $0.41; Jun 22, 2026 $0.14. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.502017202020232026YTD

BBC vs XBI Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

  • BBC
  • XBI
Oct 29, 2021 to Oct 30, 2026. Worst fall: BBC −70.1% · Apr 2025. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−60%−40%−20%0%Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
BBC 35.7%XBI 24.8%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
BBC 0.90XBI 1.11, better
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
BBC −70.1%XBI −53.2%, better
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
BBC 1.31XBI 1.10

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