
GOVZ is passively managed to capture the long end of the US Treasury curve. As such investor should expect the performance to fluctuate with changes in interest rates. The fund holds a small portfolio of Treasury STRIPS with at least 25 years to maturity. STRIPS are securities that promise single payment upon maturity without any semi-annual coupons. The types of securities are sold at a discount to face value but mature at par. The underlying index is weights securities by their market value and is rebalanced quarterly.
Is GOVZ's expense ratio expensive, average, or a steal for its category?
Pro reveals the verdict on a 5-tier spectrum calibrated against ICI 2025 industry averages, with strategy-aware bands so the comparison is meaningful.

iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF faces significant risks from its extreme duration and sensitivity to long-term rates. GOVZ's -0.26% total return over the past year underscores that SEC yield is misleading amid rising rate volatility and macro headwinds. A hawkish Fed stance and resurgent inflation expectations threaten further losses for GOVZ, as even modest rate increases could drive sharp drawdowns.

The iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF has posted a modest decline so far in 2026, impacted by a rise in long-term treasury yields. I expect the Fed to resume rate cuts in H2 2027 and into 2028, allowing for a circa 0.5-0.6% decline in risk-free rates across the yield curve. This in turn should be beneficial for GOVZ thanks to the ETF's high sensitivity to changes in long-term interest rates.

The iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF offers the highest yield for Treasury bonds. That comes with a high amount of duration risk. If that is acceptable, then we will show you where you can get 25 basis points of extra yield.

The iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) offers ultra-long duration exposure, making it highly sensitive to changes in long-term rates. GOVZ faces significant risks from a steepening yield curve, or from long-term inflationary effects independent of impacts from immediate cuts. If rates fall, that is inflationary and could reflect institutional erosion to political pressures. If they don't fall it will pressure the fiscal outlook given maturity walls.

The iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF (GOVZ) tracks an index of U.S. Treasury STRIPS with maturities of 25+ years, holding 22 zero-coupon securities with no credit risk. With a duration of 26.6 years, GOVZ is highly sensitive to interest rate changes; a 1% yield drop increases its price by ~26.6%, making it more volatile than its peers. Since early 2025, the U.S. yield curve's front end (controlled by Fed policy) has flattened, while the long end (10+ years) has widened, reflecting market concerns over fiscal deficits.