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STW

$77.10-0.01%Australian Index79/100
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SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Fund · State Street

Data as at 29 March 2026

TL;DR

Australia's first ETF, listed in August 2001. Tracks the 200 largest ASX companies at 0.05% per year, with over 20 years of uninterrupted performance history.

MER (Annual Fee)
0.05%
#3 lowest in Australian Index
1Y Return
+10.4%
3Y Return (p.a.)
+10.0%
Dividend Yield
3.29%
Trailing 12 months
AUM
$6,604.8M
Assets under management
Avg Daily Turnover
$4.4M
Avg shares × unit price
Unit Price
$77.10
As at 29 March 2026
Provider
State Street
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Strategy

Managed by State Street Global Advisors (SPDR), the firm that launched the world's first ETF (SPY) in 1993. STW was the dominant Australian ETF for over a decade before cheaper alternatives from Vanguard and BetaShares entered the market.

Top Holdings

BHP
10.3%
CBA
9.3%
CSL
5.0%
NAB
4.7%
Westpac
4.8%
ANZ
3.9%
Wesfarmers
3.1%
Macquarie
2.9%
Goodman Group
2.5%
Rio Tinto
2.1%
Key Fact

STW was Australia's only ETF for several years after its 2001 launch. It now sits third in AUM among Australian equity index ETFs, behind VAS and A200, as the market fragmented with cheaper alternatives.

Suited for

Investors who prefer State Street's track record or whose platform defaults to STW. For most new investors, A200 or IOZ offer equivalent or identical exposure at the same or lower cost.

Risks

At 0.05%, STW costs slightly more than A200 (0.04%). Over a 20-year investment horizon, that difference compounds meaningfully. STW has been losing AUM market share to cheaper competitors since 2018.

STW Comparisons

ETFCheck Score79/100
Fees (40%)93
Fund Size (25%)79
Liquidity (20%)55
Yield (15%)73
How scores are calculated →
Other Australian Index ETFs
VAS
0.07% MER
86
IOZ
0.05% MER
86
A200
0.04% MER
79
MVW
0.35% MER
63View all Australian Index ETFs →

Frequently Asked Questions - STW

What does STW's track record through the GFC and COVID crash tell investors about resilience?+
Launched in 2001 as Australia's first-ever ETF, STW has survived the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, the 2020 COVID crash, and multiple market corrections while continuing to deliver distributions and maintain tight index tracking. This 23-year track record demonstrates ETF structural resilience - unlike managed funds, STW never suspended redemptions or gated investors during crises. For conservative Australian investors and SMSF trustees seeking proven reliability in their core domestic equity allocation, STW's longevity provides unmatched operational confidence.
Why does STW have the highest yield among major ASX 200 ETFs at 3.59%?+
STW's trailing yield of 3.59% edges above IOZ at 3.37%, VAS at 3.42%, and A200 at 3.04%, partly reflecting distribution timing differences and State Street's approach to passing through income including special dividends. The yield gap fluctuates quarterly as each fund captures different ex-dividend dates and reinvestment policies. For income-focused SMSF investors in pension phase, STW's consistently competitive yield combined with heavy franking credits makes it a strong contender for retiree portfolios seeking reliable tax-effective cash flow.
Is STW still worth buying given newer, cheaper ETFs like A200 exist?+
STW charges 0.05% MER versus A200's 0.04%, costing just $10 more per $100,000 annually - a negligible difference. STW compensates with proven 23-year operational history, deep institutional liquidity, a higher trailing yield of 3.59%, and direct S&P/ASX 200 licensing providing exact benchmark replication. Investors already holding STW have no compelling reason to switch and trigger CGT events. For new investors, STW remains a premium-quality core holding, though cost-minimisers may marginally prefer A200's fee advantage.
How does STW handle dividend reinvestment for Australian investors?+
STW offers a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) allowing investors to automatically reinvest quarterly distributions into additional units, typically without brokerage fees. This facilitates compound growth for long-term investors and SMSF accumulation strategies without requiring manual trades each quarter. DRP units are acquired at market price and investors must still declare the reinvested distributions as taxable income to the ATO, including any attached franking credits, even though no cash is physically received into their bank account.