Here’s Why I Can’t Bring Myself to Touch XIU With a 10‑Foot Pole

Despite XIU’s legacy and size, there are cheaper and more tax efficient S&P/TSX 60 ETFs available now.

Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Tony turned a series of 2017 marijuana stock losses into a freelance career advocating for ETF investing. He currently holds a Master’s in Risk Management from Columbia University and is a Certified ETF Advisor (CETF®). Tony is the founder of ETF Portfolio Blueprint (etfportfolioblueprint.com) and the Lead ETF Analyst for ETF Central, a partnership between Trackinsight and the NYSE. His analysis has also been featured in publications like Kiplinger, 24/7 Wall St., U.S. News & World Report, TheStreet, and Benzinga. Tony also provides independent content and marketing consulting services to various Canadian and U.S. ETF issuers. His editorial opinions for The Motley Fool remain independent and objective.

Published January 29, 4:00 pm EST

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This will probably annoy a few people in the Canadian exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry, but I really don’t care for the iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF (TSX:XIU).

Yes, it has history. It was the first ETF ever to trade, debuting in 1990. It’s also massive, with nearly $22 billion in assets. None of that changes the core issue: In 2026, XIU is simply too expensive for what it does.

All it offers is passive exposure to the S&P/TSX 60. That’s fine, but you can now get that same exposure in cheaper or more tax-efficient ways. Loyalty to a brand name is costing investors real money here.

If you want TSX 60 exposure, here are two better options from BMO Global Asset Management and Global X Canada.

Financial analyst reviews numbers and charts on a screen — Source: Getty Images

The cheaper, no-nonsense option: BMO

The first alternative is the BMO S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF (TSX:ZIU).

ZIU does exactly what XIU does. It buys all 60 stocks in the S&P/TSX 60 in the same weights and tracks the index minus fees. There’s no strategy twist, no derivatives, no leverage.

The difference is cost. ZIU charges a 0.15% management expense ratio, undercutting XIU for identical exposure. You currently receive an annualized distribution yield of about 2.3%, paid quarterly.

Despite being much smaller at roughly $120 million in assets, liquidity is fine for long-term investors. ZIU isn’t going anywhere. The only real reason XIU still dominates is brand inertia.

The tax-efficient option: Global X Canada

The second alternative is the Global X S&P/TSX 60 Index Corporate Class ETF (TSX:HXT).

HXT looks cheaper at first glance with a 0.08% management fee, but that’s not the full picture. You also need to factor in a 0.16% trading expense ratio and an up to 0.20% swap fee. All in, it’s not meaningfully cheaper than XIU on a headline fee basis.

Where HXT wins is tax efficiency. XIU pays dividends. The current 12-month trailing yield is about 2.3%. Most of that is eligible Canadian dividends, which are tax-efficient, but they’re still taxable in non-registered accounts.

HXT pays no distributions at all. Instead of holding the stocks directly, HXT uses a total return swap to synthetically replicate the TSX 60. Practically, this means no quarterly taxable income. Your return shows up entirely as share price appreciation.

In a taxable account, that’s a huge advantage if you plan to hold long term and don’t need to realize any capital gains soon.