TLTvsGOVTETF Comparison
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iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) and iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) belong to the same industry segment: US Government Bonds. Both ETFs have the same top 2 sector exposures: Sovereign and Non-Corporate. TLT is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.15%, versus 0.05% for GOVT. TLT is down -2.59% year-to-date (YTD) with +$3.88B in YTD flows. GOVT performs better with -0.2% YTD performance, and +$11.07B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of TLT and GOVT below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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TLT vs GOVT performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 11/04/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | TLT GOVT | +6.50%+2.54% | -0.10%+0.00% | -2.59%-0.20% | -4.81%-0.12% | +7.09%+12.26% | -33.29%-3.04% |
| Flows | TLT GOVT | -$1.03B+$964M | +$7.31B-$58M | +$3.88B+$11.07B | +$3.40B+$11.79B | +$10.18B+$20.70B | +$50.81B+$31.61B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | TLT GOVT | +10.85%+4.15% | +9.59%+3.67% | +12.57%+4.61% | +15.41%+5.69% |
| Max drawdown | TLT GOVT | -6.90%-2.85% | -12.42%-4.44% | -16.55%-4.87% | -43.68%-16.15% |
| Max drawdown duration | TLT GOVT | 71d71d | 248d248d | 779d318d | 1795d1795d |
Trading data
TLT | GOVT | |
Last sale 11/5/2026 at 2:30 PM | $81.93 | $22.33 |
| Previous close 11/04/2026 | $81.76 | $22.27 |
| Consolidated volume 11/04/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of November 6, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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TLT | GOVT | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 11/5/2026 at 2:30 PM
Live
Closed
TLT | GOVT | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $81.93 | $22.33 |
| 1D performance | +0.21% | +0.27% |
| AuM | $48.81 B | $43.21 B |
| E/R | 0.15% | 0.05% |
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Exposure
Countries
TLT
USA
97.08%
Other
2.92%
GOVT
USA
97.97%
Other
2.03%
Sectors
TLT
Sovereign
97.07%
Other
2.93%
GOVT
Sovereign
97.84%
Other
2.16%
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Diversification
TLT
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
56.88%
GOVT
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
26.31%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of September 30, 2026
TLT
USA, Bonds 4.75% 15may2055, USD
4.31%
USA, Bonds 4.625% 15may2054, USD
4.11%
USA, Bonds 5% 15may2056, USD
4.05%
USA, Bonds 4.75% 15nov2053, USD
4.01%
USA, Bonds 4.25% 15feb2054, USD
3.91%
USA, Bonds 4.125% 15aug2053, USD
3.90%
USA, Bonds 4.625% 15nov2055, USD
3.87%
USA, Bonds 4.25% 15aug2054, USD
3.86%
USA, Bonds 4.75% 15feb2056, USD
3.86%
USA, Bonds 4.625% 15feb2055, USD
3.83%
USA, Bonds 4.5% 15nov2054, USD
3.82%
USA, Bonds 1.875% 15nov2051, USD
3.67%
USA, Bonds 4.75% 15aug2055, USD
3.44%
USA, Bonds 2% 15aug2051, USD
3.13%
USA, Bonds 3.625% 15may2053, USD
3.11%
GOVT
USA, Notes 1.375% 15nov2031, USD (F-2031)
5.17%
USA, Notes 2.625% 15feb2029, USD (B-2029)
3.01%
USA, Notes 3.125% 15nov2028, USD (F-2028)
2.14%
USA, Notes 2.75% 15feb2028, USD (B-2028)
1.97%
USA, Notes 2.875% 15may2028, USD (C-2028)
1.67%
USA, Bonds 2.5% 15may2046, USD
1.46%
USA, Bonds 6.125% 15nov2027, USD
1.44%
USA, Bonds 2.75% 15nov2042, USD
1.43%
USA, Bonds 3.75% 15nov2043, USD
1.36%
USA, Bonds 1.875% 15feb2051, USD
1.28%
USA, Notes 4% 31may2028, USD (BC-2028)
1.24%
USA, Notes 2.375% 15may2029, USD (C-2029)
1.10%
USA, Notes 4% 31may2030, USD (Z-2030)
1.03%
USA, Notes 4% 29feb2028, USD (V-2028)
1.01%
USA, Notes 3.875% 31mar2028, USD (AZ-2028)
1.00%
Frequently asked questions about TLT and GOVT
How have the TLT and GOVT ETFs performed in 2026?
As of November 4, 2026, TLT is down -2.59% year-to-date (YTD), while GOVT has lost -0.2%. That puts GOVT better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: TLT or GOVT?
Year-to-date, the TLT ETF saw +$3.88B in flows, compared to +$11.07B for GOVT.
Which ETF is more volatile: TLT or GOVT?
Over the past year, TLT had a volatility of 9.59%, while GOVT experienced 3.67%.
Which ETF is bigger: TLT or GOVT?
As of November 4, 2026, TLT holds $48.81 B in assets under management (AUM), while GOVT manages $43.21 B.
What sectors do the TLT and GOVT ETFs invest in?
TLT leans toward sectors like Sovereign. Meanwhile, GOVT focuses on Sovereign.
What are the top holdings of the TLT ETF and GOVT ETF?
TLT top holdings include USA, Bonds 4.75% 15may2055, USD, USA, Bonds 4.625% 15may2054, USD and USA, Bonds 5% 15may2056, USD. GOVT holds in its top three: USA, Notes 1.375% 15nov2031, USD (F-2031), USA, Notes 2.625% 15feb2029, USD (B-2029) and USA, Notes 3.125% 15nov2028, USD (F-2028).
Which ETF is more diversified: TLT or GOVT?
TLT holds 48 securities with 56.88% of its assets in the top 15. GOVT has 230 securities and a top 15 weight of 26.31%.
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