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No matter what side of the aisle your political beliefs and values align with, there is one thing the majority of Americans can agree on: the country finds itself firmly in an affordability crisis. From a lopsided housing market and elevated used car prices to college tuition and higher energy prices fueling inflation, prices for everyday items and wealth-building milestones are near all-time highs.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury officially announced the investment lineup for the rollout of Trump Accounts, which includes five popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged investment vehicles that assists U.S. families with building long-term wealth for their children.
Trump Accounts launch July 4 with the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF as the default investment. The Treasury Department plans to add more low-cost index fund options soon.
iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF remains a Hold, with no compelling edge over S&P 500 ETFs despite Trump account inclusion. The Trump Account program may boost ITOT's AUM, but not enough to materially impact BlackRock or shift ITOT's competitive position versus VTI or S&P 500 funds. ITOT's portfolio is heavily weighted toward the top 500 stocks, with only marginal impact from smaller caps, limiting its outperformance potential unless broad market leadership shifts.
The iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) and the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (SPTM) both offer broad U.S. market exposure with a 0.03% expense ratio. Both funds offer similar risk-return profiles.
I am downgrading iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) to Hold due to a less favorable macro environment and increased concentration risk. ITOT's broad market exposure now carries greater risk from concentrated AI-linked stocks. Recent inflationary pressures, resilient labor markets, and the Fed's neutral stance have removed the prior macro tailwind for ITOT.
iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF provide nearly identical low-cost access to the broad American equity market Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF manages a significantly larger asset base with over $2.3 trillion in assets under management Both funds have delivered nearly identical total returns over the trailing five years while maintaining matching risk profiles
Compare portfolio construction, sector weights, and top holdings to see how these two low-cost funds stack up for diversified U.S. market access.