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    HDFC Arbitrage Fund vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF

    Direct Plan where a fund has one, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026

    HDFC Arbitrage Fund is an Arbitrage fund and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF is an ETF fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct) returned 7.3% a year and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF returned 9.5% a year. HDFC Arbitrage Fund charges 1.48% a year and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF 0.33%. Their portfolios overlap 49.7%: they hold 150 of the same securities.

    HDFC Arbitrage Fund

    Arbitrage

    3 year return
    7.3%
    Expense ratio
    1.48%
    NAV
    ₹21.93
    See HDFC Arbitrage Fund

    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF

    ETF

    3 year return
    9.5%
    Expense ratio
    0.33%
    NAV
    ₹37.06
    See ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF

    Which is better, HDFC Arbitrage or ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF? Key differences

    It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.

    • ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF returned more over 5 years: 8.3% a year against 6.7%.
    • ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF returned more over 3 years: 9.5% a year against 7.3%.
    • ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF costs less: 0.33% a year against 1.48%.
    • HDFC Arbitrage swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 1.1% a year against 14.2%.
    • HDFC Arbitrage fell less in its worst fall since 11-05-2018: −0.7% against −38.0%.
    • ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF holds more in large companies: 67.1% of the fund in large caps against 55.6%.
    • HDFC Arbitrage is the larger fund: ₹25,407 Cr against ₹347 Cr.
    • Their portfolios overlap 49.7%: 150 of the same holdings.

    Past returns do not promise future returns. This page is information, not investment advice.

    Key facts

    From each fund's scheme summary document and AMFI

    FactHDFC Arbitrage FundICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    Fund houseHDFC Mutual FundICICI Prudential Mutual Fund
    CategoryArbitrageETF
    AUM₹25,407 Cr (30-09-2026)₹347 Cr (30-09-2026)
    NAV₹21.93 (Direct)₹37.06
    Expense ratio (Direct)1.48%Not available
    Expense ratio (Regular)2.02%Not available
    RiskometerLowNot available
    BenchmarkNifty 50 Arbitrage TRIBSE 500 TRI
    Launch date23-10-200709-05-2018
    Minimum investment₹100During Ongoing/Continuous Offer: On Stock Exchanges: Investors can buy/sell units of the Scheme in round lot of 1 unit and in multiples thereof. Directly with the Mutual Fund: Investors can buy or sell units of the scheme in creation unit size and its mul
    Lock inNoneNone
    Fund managersNandita Menezes, Arun Agarwal, Anil Bamboli, Gopal AgrawalNishit Patel, Ajaykumar Solanki, Ashwini Shinde
    Exit load• In respect of each purchase / switch-in of Units, an Exit load of 0.25% is payable if Units are redeemed / switched-out within 15 days from the date of allotment of units. • No Exit Load is payable if Units are redeemed/switched-out after 15 days from the date of allotment.There will be no exit load for units sold through the secondary market on the stock exchanges where the Scheme will be listed. Currently, the Scheme is proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE. Investors shall note that the brokerage on sales of the units of the scheme on the stock exchanges shall be borne by the investors.

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Returns Comparison

    Returns as on 30-10-2026. Up to one year they are absolute returns. Longer periods are a rate per year.

    Fund1M3M6M1Y3Y5Y10Y
    HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)+0.55%+1.55%+3.25%+6.66%+7.26%+6.73%+6.13%
    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF−0.90%−6.15%−3.10%−7.94%+9.53%+8.30%--
    Arbitrage average+0.56%+1.52%+3.20%+6.62%+7.18%+6.68%+6.31%

    Category average: the average of the 39 Arbitrage funds, same plan type.

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Year-wise Returns

    YearHDFC ArbitrageHDFC ArbitrageICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    2026to date+5.43%−8.04%
    2025+6.93%+7.27%
    2024+8.22%+15.40%
    2023+7.78%+26.14%
    2022+4.73%+4.44%
    2021+4.17%+31.29%

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Rolling Returns

    Every holding period of both funds, against BSE 500 TRI, the benchmark of ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF

    Rolling returns

    Every 3-year holding period, 1,349 of them, one for each trading day from 11-05-2021 to 30-10-2026: the yearly return (CAGR) of each, plotted on the day it ended. One lucky or unlucky start day cannot flatter or hide a fund.

    0%5%10%15%20%25%30%
    Oct 2018
    to
    Oct 2021
    Sept 2019
    to
    Sept 2022
    Aug 2020
    to
    Aug 2023
    Aug 2021
    to
    Aug 2024
    Jul 2022
    to
    Jul 2025
    May 2023
    to
    May 2026
    HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFBSE 500 TRI

    How the periods spread

    FundBelow 0%0-5%5-10%10-15%15-20%20-25%Above 25%MeanMedianLowestHighestBeat benchmark
    HDFC Arbitrage0.029.170.90.00.00.00.06.0%5.8%4.2%7.8%0%
    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF0.00.02.227.048.417.15.317.5%17.1%8.1%33.4%0%
    BSE 500 TRI0.00.01.822.648.720.46.517.9%17.5%8.4%33.9%--

    The table shows the % of periods in each return band; a darker cell holds more of them. Lumpsum: the yearly rate (CAGR) from a period's first NAV to its last. SIP: the XIRR of the monthly instalments. The benchmark is BSE 500 TRI, over the same periods. "Beat benchmark" counts the periods in which the fund did better. Every fund is measured over the days all of them have, from 11-05-2018. Past returns do not promise future returns.

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: SIP and Lumpsum Returns

    What the same monthly or one-time investment would be worth in each fund today, from their own NAV history

    Growth of an investment

    Step up each year
    PeriodFor

    ₹10,000 on the first trading day of every month, from 02-05-2018 to 30-10-2026: 102 instalments, ₹10,20,000 in all.

    InvestmentInvestedValue nowGainReturn a year
    HDFC ArbitrageHDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct) ₹10,20,000 ₹13,49,932 ₹3,29,932 6.5%
    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF ₹10,20,000 ₹16,90,612 ₹6,70,612 11.6%
    ₹0₹5.0 L₹10.0 L₹15.0 L₹20.0 L
    20192020202120222023202420252026
    HDFC ArbitrageHDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFAmount invested

    From each plan's published NAV (Growth option), over the same days. Return a year: XIRR for a SIP, CAGR for a lumpsum, shown for a year or more. It does not include exit load, stamp duty or tax. Past returns do not promise future returns.

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Risk and Drawdowns

    How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days

    Risk and return

    MeasureHDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    Return (CAGR)+7.26%+9.53%
    Standard deviation1.10%14.18%
    Sharpe ratio1.120.25
    Sortino ratio1.710.33
    Maximum drawdown−0.5% (06-08-2026)−18.8% (28-02-2025)
    Beta--1.00
    Alpha--−0.36%

    From daily NAVs, 30-10-2023 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.

    Drawdowns

    How far below its previous high each one was on every day: the falls an investor had to sit through. 0% means it was at a new high.

    −40%−30%−20%−10%0%
    20192020202120222023202420252026
    HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFBSE 500 TRI
    FundWorst fallHigh before itBottomBack at the highTime to climb backBelow its high today
    HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)−0.7%16-03-202025-03-202003-04-20209 days−0.1%
    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF−38.0%17-01-202023-03-202006-11-20207 months−10.0%
    BSE 500 TRI−38.1%17-01-202023-03-202006-11-20207 months−9.4%

    From daily values since 11-05-2018, the first day every fund has.

    Rolling standard deviation

    Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 3-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.

    0%5%10%15%20%25%
    20222023202420252026
    HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETFBSE 500 TRI

    Against BSE 500 TRI

    FundUp captureDown captureTracking error
    HDFC Arbitrage Fund (Direct)12%-15%17.86%
    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF99%100%0.18%

    From month-end values since 11-05-2018. Up capture: a fund's average month when the benchmark rose, as % of the benchmark's; above 100% it gained more. Down capture: the same for months the benchmark fell; below 100% it fell less. Tracking error: how far the monthly returns strayed from the benchmark's, a year; an index fund aims near 0.

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Portfolio Overlap

    From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: HDFC Arbitrage Fund, September 2026; ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF, September 2026

    Holdings in common

    Overlap
    49.7%
    Held by both
    150
    Only in HDFC Arbitrage
    19
    Only in ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    351
    Security% of HDFC Arbitrage% of ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    HDFC Bank Ltd.5.04%5.73%
    ICICI Bank Ltd.5.04%5.02%
    Reliance Industries Ltd.3.39%4.17%
    Bharti Airtel Ltd.3.31%2.90%
    State Bank of India2.30%2.11%
    Axis Bank Ltd.2.87%1.86%
    Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited1.44%1.63%
    Bajaj Finance Ltd.1.80%1.36%
    Hindustan Unilever Ltd.1.43%0.89%
    Tata Steel Ltd.1.55%0.81%

    Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 49.7% means 49.7% of each fund's money sits in positions the other also holds. Matched by ISIN. Cash and hedged positions are left out.

    Largest holdings only in HDFC Arbitrage Fund

    Security% of fund
    HDFC Money Market Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option9.14%
    Union Bank of India3.84%
    HDFC Liquid Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option3.75%
    HDFC Ultra Short Term Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option2.85%
    HDFC Ultra Short to Short Term Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option2.64%

    Largest holdings only in ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF

    Security% of fund
    Tech Mahindra Ltd.0.52%
    Lenskart Solutions Ltd.0.49%
    TML Commercial Vehicles Ltd.0.47%
    Meesho Ltd0.47%
    Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.0.40%

    Asset and sector split

    Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio

    Asset allocation

    AssetHDFC ArbitrageICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    Equity67.5%100.0%
    Debt9.0%0.0%
    Cash and others23.4%0.0%

    Market cap of stocks

    Market capHDFC ArbitrageICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    Large Cap55.6%67.1%
    Mid Cap10.3%21.5%
    Small Cap1.7%11.3%

    Share of the whole fund. Groups follow AMFI's latest list: Large Cap is the 100 largest companies, Mid Cap the next 150, Small Cap the rest.

    Largest sectors

    SectorHDFC ArbitrageICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    Banks22.2%19.5%
    Finance4.3%6.4%
    Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology3.0%5.8%
    It - Software0.0%5.8%
    Telecom - Services5.2%3.6%
    Petroleum Products4.4%5.0%
    Automobiles3.1%4.9%
    Ferrous Metals4.5%2.0%

    The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.

    HDFC Arbitrage vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Expense Ratio

    What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file

    ChargeHDFC Arbitrage FundICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF
    Total expense ratio (Direct)1.48%Not available
    Base expense ratio (Direct)0.34%0.00%
    Total expense ratio (Regular)2.02%Not available
    Base expense ratio (Regular)0.80%0.26%

    The expense ratio comes out of the fund's assets every day, so every return on this page is already after it. Base expense ratio: the fund house's own fee. The total adds brokerage, transaction costs, and levies with GST.

    More comparisons

    Each fund against the others of its category

    HDFC Arbitrage Fund vs ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between HDFC Arbitrage Fund and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF?

    HDFC Arbitrage Fund is an Arbitrage fund, ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF is an ETF fund, run by HDFC Mutual Fund and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 49.7%. HDFC Arbitrage Fund charges 1.48% a year and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF 0.33%.

    Which has given higher returns, HDFC Arbitrage Fund or ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF?

    Over 1 year: HDFC Arbitrage Fund +6.66%, ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF −7.94%. Over 3 years: HDFC Arbitrage Fund +7.26% a year, ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF +9.53% a year. Over 5 years: HDFC Arbitrage Fund +6.73% a year, ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF +8.30% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.

    Which has the lower expense ratio, HDFC Arbitrage Fund or ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF?

    ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF charges less: 0.33% a year against 1.48%. These are the total expense ratios reported to AMFI.

    How much do HDFC Arbitrage Fund and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF overlap?

    49.7%. They hold 150 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being HDFCBANK, ICICIBANK, RELIANCE. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.

    Which is better for SIP, HDFC Arbitrage Fund or ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF?

    Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹7,30,981 in HDFC Arbitrage Fund (XIRR 7.1% a year) and ₹7,27,545 in ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF (XIRR 6.9% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.

    Can I invest in both HDFC Arbitrage Fund and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF?

    Yes. 49.7% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.

    Who manages HDFC Arbitrage Fund and ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF?

    HDFC Arbitrage Fund: Nandita Menezes, Arun Agarwal, Anil Bamboli, Gopal Agrawal. ICICI Prudential BSE 500 ETF: Nishit Patel, Ajaykumar Solanki, Ashwini Shinde.

    Sources: NAV and expense ratio from AMFI. Holdings from each fund house's monthly portfolio statement. Fund facts from each scheme summary document.

    This page is information, not investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme related documents carefully. Past returns do not promise future returns. Figures come from AMFI, NSE, BSE and each fund house's own documents.

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