ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund is a Thematic fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund is an Index fund. In the year to 30-10-2026, ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) returned −6.4% and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) returned −10.3%. ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund charges 1.86% a year and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund 0.28% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 50.4%: they hold 26 of the same securities.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund
Thematic
- 1 year return
- −6.4%
- Expense ratio
- 1.86%
- NAV
- ₹10.28
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund
Index
- 1 year return
- −10.3%
- Expense ratio
- 0.28%
- NAV
- ₹9.24
Which is better, ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index? 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 Equity Minimum Variance returned more over 1 year: −6.4% against −10.3%.
- Zerodha Nifty 50 Index costs less: 0.28% a year against 1.86% (Direct plans).
- ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance fell less in its worst fall since 17-10-2025: −14.0% against −15.2%.
- Zerodha Nifty 50 Index holds more in large companies: 99.2% of the fund in large caps against 89.0%.
- ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance is the larger fund: ₹2,451 Cr against ₹75 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 50.4%: 26 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
| Fact | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund | Zerodha Mutual Fund |
| Category | Thematic | Index |
| AUM | ₹2,451 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹75 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹10.28 (Direct) | ₹9.24 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 1.86% | 0.28% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 2.89% | Not available |
| Riskometer | Not available | Very High |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 TRI | Nifty 50 TRI |
| Launch date | 06-12-2024 | 14-10-2025 |
| Minimum investment | ₹5,000 | ₹100 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Aatur Shah, Nitya Mishra | Kedarnath Mirajkar |
| Exit load | Exit load of 1% if redeemed within 1 month. | Nil |
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Returns Comparison
Returns as on 30-10-2026. Up to one year they are absolute returns. Longer periods are a rate per year.
| Fund | 1M | 3M | 6M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) | +0.49% | −4.73% | −2.93% | −6.38% | -- | -- | -- |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | +1.95% | −5.00% | −3.12% | −10.25% | -- | -- | -- |
| Thematic average | −2.09% | −4.52% | +0.86% | −1.22% | -- | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 235 Thematic funds, same plan type.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Year-wise Returns
| Year | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum VarianceICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance | Zerodha Nifty 50 IndexZerodha Nifty 50 Index | Nifty 50 TRI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | −8.46% | −11.01% | −10.91% |
| 2025 | +14.36% | -- | +11.88% |
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty 50 TRI, the benchmark of both
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: 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
₹10,000 on the first trading day of every month, from 01-10-2025 to 30-10-2026: 13 instalments, ₹1,30,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum VarianceICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) | ₹1,30,000 | ₹1,24,970 | −₹5,030 | −6.6% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 IndexZerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | ₹1,30,000 | ₹1,23,091 | −₹6,909 | −9.1% |
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum VarianceICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct)
Zerodha Nifty 50 IndexZerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct)
Amount 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.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | −6.38% | −10.25% |
| Standard deviation | 12.60% | 13.60% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.92 | -1.14 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.23 | -1.52 |
| Maximum drawdown | −14.0% (30-03-2026) | −15.2% (30-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.90 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | +2.11% | −0.28% |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2025 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.
| Measure | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +1.42% | −9.31% |
| Standard deviation | 11.45% | 13.43% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.36 | -1.08 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.51 | -1.45 |
| Maximum drawdown | −14.0% (30-03-2026) | −15.2% (30-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.85 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | +2.53% | −0.29% |
From daily NAVs, 09-12-2024 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.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct)
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct)
Nifty 50 TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) | −14.0% | 06-01-2026 | 30-03-2026 | Not yet | -- | −9.4% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | −15.2% | 02-01-2026 | 30-03-2026 | Not yet | -- | −11.7% |
| Nifty 50 TRI | −15.1% | 02-01-2026 | 30-03-2026 | Not yet | -- | −11.6% |
From daily values since 17-10-2025, 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 1-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct)
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct)
Nifty 50 TRI
Against Nifty 50 TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund (Direct) | 93% | 80% | 3.12% |
| Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund (Direct) | 99% | 100% | 0.15% |
From month-end values since 17-10-2025. 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.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund, September 2026; Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 50.4%
- Held by both
- 26
- Only in ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance
- 9
- Only in Zerodha Nifty 50 Index
- 24
| Security | % of ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance | % of Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Reliance Industries Ltd. | 9.69% | 7.63% |
| HDFC Bank Ltd. | 7.23% | 10.44% |
| State Bank Of India | 4.31% | 3.81% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 7.00% | 3.39% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | 3.24% | 9.10% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. | 9.70% | 2.95% |
| ITC Ltd. | 4.82% | 2.43% |
| Larsen & Toubro Ltd. | 2.30% | 4.23% |
| Hindustan Unilever Ltd. | 4.60% | 1.60% |
| NTPC Ltd. | 4.87% | 1.47% |
| Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. | 1.46% | 2.01% |
| Bajaj Auto Ltd. | 1.77% | 1.14% |
| Power Grid Corporation Of India Ltd. | 1.16% | 1.13% |
| Ultratech Cement Ltd. | 1.12% | 1.25% |
| Grasim Industries Ltd. | 1.16% | 1.11% |
| Asian Paints Ltd. | 4.12% | 1.04% |
| Coal India Ltd. | 1.26% | 0.98% |
| Bajaj Finserv Ltd. | 2.47% | 0.97% |
| Nestle India Ltd. | 1.07% | 0.90% |
| Trent Ltd. | 1.07% | 0.84% |
| Infosys Ltd. | 0.81% | 3.37% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. | 2.50% | 0.81% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | 0.72% | 5.13% |
| Tata Consumer Products Ltd. | 2.31% | 0.59% |
| HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. | 2.55% | 0.54% |
| Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. | 0.24% | 1.49% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 50.4% means 50.4% 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 ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| 91 Days Treasury Bills | 2.86% |
| Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. | 1.91% |
| 91 Days Treasury Bills | 1.90% |
| Life Insurance Corporation of India | 1.61% |
| Bajaj Holdings & Investment Ltd. | 1.10% |
Largest holdings only in Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Mahindra & Mahindra Limited | 2.53% |
| Bajaj Finance Limited | 2.52% |
| Eternal Limited | 2.23% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | 1.85% |
| Titan Company Limited | 1.82% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 89.0% | 100.6% |
| Debt | 6.5% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 4.5% | -0.6% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 89.0% | 99.2% |
| Mid Cap | 0.0% | 1.4% |
| Small Cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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
| Sector | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 31.5% | 29.7% |
| Petroleum Products | 9.7% | 7.6% |
| Diversified Fmcg | 9.4% | 0.0% |
| IT - Software | 0.0% | 7.6% |
| Automobiles | 2.0% | 6.7% |
| Power | 6.0% | 2.6% |
| Finance | 3.6% | 5.5% |
| Telecom - Services | 0.7% | 5.1% |
| Insurance | 4.2% | 1.3% |
| Consumer Durables | 4.1% | 2.9% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund | Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 1.86% | 0.28% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.82% | 0.10% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 2.89% | Not available |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.72% | 0.00% |
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
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ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund vs Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund is a Thematic fund, Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund is an Index fund, run by ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund and Zerodha Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 50.4%. ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund charges 1.86% a year and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund 0.28%.
Which has given higher returns, ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
Over 1 year: ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund −6.38%, Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund −10.25%. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund or Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund charges less: 0.28% a year against 1.86%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund overlap?
50.4%. They hold 26 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being RELIANCE, HDFCBANK, SBIN. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Can I invest in both ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
Yes. 50.4% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
Who manages ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund and Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund?
ICICI Prudential Equity Minimum Variance Fund: Aatur Shah, Nitya Mishra. Zerodha Nifty 50 Index Fund: Kedarnath Mirajkar.
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.