Are treasury ETFs a good investment?
Low yields: Treasury ETFs generally offer lower yields compared with many other investment options, such as corporate bonds, dividend-paying stocks or real estate. This means they may not provide substantial income or returns. Interest rate risk: Treasury bond prices are inversely related to changes in interest rates.
Treasury ETFs have high credit quality and steady income, and they are relatively liquid. Treasury ETFs do have some risks, such as interest rate and market risks. You also don't hold Treasurys directly—considered the lowest-risk investments—but shares of the ETF.
Relative to higher-risk securities, like stocks, Treasury bonds have lower returns. Yet even during periods of low yields, U.S. Treasury bonds remain sought-after because of their perceived stability and liquidity, or ease of conversion into cash. NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team.
But while they are lauded for their security and reliability, potential drawbacks such as interest rate risk, low returns and inflation risk must be carefully considered. If you're interested in investing in Treasury bonds or have other questions about your portfolio, consider speaking with a financial advisor.
Bottom line. Bond ETFs really can provide a lot of value for investors, allowing you to quickly diversify a portfolio by buying just one or two securities. But investors need to minimize the downsides such as a high expense ratio, which can really cut into returns when interest rates are low.
Treasury ETFs offer investors a way to gain passive, and often broad, exposure to U.S. Treasury bonds. They are composed of a basket of Treasury securities, typically with a focus on a particular maturity or range of maturities.
- Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW)
- Vanguard Core-Plus Bond ETF (VPLS)
- DoubleLine Commercial Real Estate ETF (DCRE)
- Global X 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (CLIP)
- SPDR Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF (SPBO)
- JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF (JPST)
- iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF)
- iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLH)
Pros and Cons
T-bills pay a fixed rate of interest, which can provide a stable income. However, if interest rates rise, existing T-bills fall out of favor since their return is less than the market.
- No voting rights.
- Not entitled to receive dividends.
- Not included in the calculation of outstanding shares.
- Do not exercise preemptive rights as a shareholder.
- Not entitled to receive net assets in case the company liquidates.
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 30-Year Value (Purchased May 1990) |
|---|---|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $207.36 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $414.72 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $1,036.80 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $2,073.60 |
Are Treasuries safe during a recession?
Federal bonds or US Treasury bonds are issued by the Federal Reserve System (made up of the central bank and monetary authority of the United States.) Investors favor Treasury bonds during a recession because they're considered to be a safe investment.
Treasury bonds are considered safer than corporate bonds—you're practically guaranteed not to lose money—but there are other potential risks to be aware of. These stable investments aren't known for their high returns. Gains can be further diminished by inflation and changing interest rates.
For many people, TreasuryDirect is a good option; however, retirement savers and investors who already have brokerage accounts are often better off buying bonds on the secondary market or with exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
For many investors, investing in the right bond funds can be a better option than holding a portfolio of individual bonds. Bond ETFs can provide better diversification — often for a lower cost — can offer higher liquidity, and can be easier to implement.
Interest income: Treasury ETFs pay interest income to investors, typically on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the specific ETF. This can provide a source of regular income for investors.
In other words, bond ETFs are at risk if the borrower defaults as this means they may not pay the entire amount of the bond back. While there is no debt to an equity ETF, the underlying companies can still incur losses and lose value.
Because U.S. Treasurys are tax-free at the state and local level, interest payments from sovereign bond ETFs that hold U.S. Treasurys are also exempt from state and local income taxes. They are subject to federal taxes, however. Interest payments from overseas bond ETFs are taxed as ordinary income.
| ETF | Expense Ratio | Yield to maturity |
|---|---|---|
| iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (ticker: GOVT) | 0.05% | 4.3% |
| U.S. Treasury 10 Year Note ETF (UTEN) | 0.15% | 4.1%* |
| iShares iBonds Dec 2033 Term Treasury ETF (IBTO) | 0.07% | 4.1% |
| Global X 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (CLIP) | 0.07% | 5.5% |
Do Bond ETFs Pay Interest or Dividends to Shareholders? Bond ETFs pay dividends on a monthly basis based on the interest income earned on the bonds held in the fund's portfolio.
- Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF EDV.
- SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF SPTL.
- Schwab Long-Term US Treasury ETF SCHQ.
- Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF VGSH.
- SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF SPTS.
What is a better investment than Treasury bills?
Treasury bonds—also called T-bonds—are long-term debt obligations that mature in terms of 20 or 30 years. They're essentially the opposite of T-bills as they're the longest-term and typically the highest-yielding among T-bills, T-bonds, and Treasury notes.
The largest Treasury ETF is the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF TLT with $45.04B in assets. In the last trailing year, the best-performing Treasury ETF was TMV at 65.49%. The most recent ETF launched in the Treasury space was the Innovator Premium Income 15 Buffer ETF - April LAPR on 04/01/24.
The biggest downside of investing in T-bills is that you're going to get a lower rate of return compared to other investments, such as certificates of deposit, money market funds, corporate bonds or stocks. If you're looking to make some serious gains in your portfolio, T-bills aren't going to cut it.
While interest rates and inflation can affect Treasury bill rates, they're generally considered a lower-risk (but lower-reward) investment than other debt securities. Treasury bills are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. If held to maturity, T-bills are considered virtually risk-free.
Often, CDs pay higher rates for longer term lengths. Treasury bills are short-term securities issued by the U.S. Treasury, with terms that range between four and 52 weeks. They are considered a type of bond, but don't pay a coupon (interest).
