VS
iShares Balanced Income CorePortfolio Index ETF (XBAL) and BMO Canadian Core Plus US Balanced ETF (ZBCB) offer distinct profiles for Canadian ETF investors. A direct comparison shows that XBAL focuses its top 3 sector exposures on Finance, Technology, and Sovereign, while ZBCB leans towards Finance, Technology, and Municipal. When evaluating costs, XBAL features a management fee (MER) of 0.18%, compared to 0.45% for ZBCB. Performance-wise, XBAL has returned 8.99% year-to-date with +$647 M in net flows, whereas ZBCB is at 7.7% with +$2 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
XBAL
ZBCB
| AuM | $3,470.33 M | $8.90 M |
| Management Fees | 0.18% | 0.45% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.19% | 0.45% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of September 2, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | XBAL | -1.15% | +0.67% | +8.99% | +14.97% | +49.82% |
ZBCB | -0.73% | +1.09% | +7.70% | +14.01% | - | |
| Flows | XBAL | +$76 M | +$235 M | +$647 M | +$941 M | +$1,806 M |
ZBCB | +$0 M | -$0 M | +$2 M | +$5 M | - |
XBAL vs ZBCB exposure
Countries
XBAL
Canada
43.63%
USA
34.80%
Other
21.58%
ZBCB
Canada
56.77%
USA
39.71%
Sectors
XBAL
Finance
24.28%
Technology
15.66%
Sovereign
11.66%
Industrials
7.53%
Other
40.88%
ZBCB
Finance
29.62%
Technology
14.83%
Municipal
12.10%
Energy
10.08%
Other
33.37%
As of September 2, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
XBAL
Apple, Inc.
1.89%
NVIDIA Corp.
1.82%
Microsoft Corp.
1.29%
Royal Bank of Canada
1.28%
Amazon.com, Inc.
0.89%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
0.87%
Alphabet, Inc.
0.76%
Broadcom Inc.
0.71%
Shopify, Inc.
0.65%
Alphabet, Inc.
0.61%
ZBCB
Royal Bank of Canada
3.24%
Alphabet, Inc.
3.05%
NVIDIA Corp.
2.50%
Bank of America Corp.
2.44%
Apple, Inc.
2.44%
Amazon.com, Inc.
1.91%
Suncor Energy, Inc.
1.90%
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.
1.83%
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.
1.81%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
1.73%
Diversification
XBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 21,952 total
10.78%
ZBCB
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 16,100 total
22.86%
Characteristics
Frequently asked questions about XBAL and ZBCB
Which ETF has performed better year to date: XBAL or ZBCB?
As of September 2, 2026, XBAL has returned 8.99% year to date, while ZBCB has returned 7.70%. XBAL is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: XBAL or ZBCB?
As of September 2, 2026, XBAL manages $3.47 B in assets, while ZBCB manages $8.90 M. XBAL is the larger fund by AUM.
How are XBAL and ZBCB managed?
XBAL is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index. ZBCB is actively managed by BMO. It does not track an index.
What sectors do XBAL and ZBCB emphasize?
XBAL is most exposed to Finance, Technology, and Sovereign. ZBCB is most exposed to Finance, Technology, and Municipal.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: XBAL or ZBCB?
Year to date, XBAL has seen +$646.92 M in net flows, compared with +$1.65 M for ZBCB. XBAL has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of XBAL and ZBCB compare?
XBAL has an expense ratio of 0.19%, while ZBCB has an expense ratio of 0.45%.
What are the top holdings of XBAL and ZBCB?
XBAL's largest holdings include Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp., and Alphabet, Inc.. ZBCB's top holdings include Royal Bank of Canada, Alphabet, Inc., and NVIDIA Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: XBAL or ZBCB?
XBAL holds 21780 securities, while ZBCB holds 6680. On holdings count, XBAL is the more diversified portfolio.
Recent articles about XBAL and ZBCB
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