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The iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (ticker: SXR8) is an accumulating exchange-traded fund that physically replicates the performance of the S&P 500 index, providing exposure to 500 large-cap U.S. companies. It operates with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.07% p.a., utilizes physical replication, and is domiciled in Ireland. Investors can easily gain exposure to this major market benchmark by purchasing fund units through a standard brokerage account.
Key takeaways
The iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD (Acc) is an exchange-traded fund managed by iShares (BlackRock) that replicates the S&P 500 index and is traded on Xetra under the ticker SXR8 (ISIN IE00B5BMR087). It is currently recognized as the largest ETF tracking the S&P 500, highlighting its massive scale, liquidity, and popularity among European investors.
The fund was officially launched in 2010 to provide investors with direct, transparent access to the broader U.S. equity market without needing to purchase individual stocks. Due to its size and management backing, it serves as a core portfolio building block for long-term equity exposure.
The exact same fund can be identified by multiple codes depending on the platform or exchange. While SXR8 is the ticker symbol used on Xetra, the fund is also known by its German identification number (WKN) A0YEDG and its global ISIN IE00B5BMR087.
The iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF tracks the S&P 500, which consists of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the United States, featuring a heavy concentration in large technology firms. The S&P 500 is a capitalization-weighted index, meaning companies with higher market valuations have a proportionally larger impact on the index's overall performance.
The composition heavily leans toward the technology sector and mega-cap companies, which account for 35% of the total index weight. While the index structurally holds 500 distinct companies to spread out single-stock risk, it strictly offers pure U.S. geographic exposure rather than global diversification.
As of July 2026, the iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF holds 505 U.S. companies and offers broad exposure to the American stock market while remaining tilted toward the largest technology firms. As of July 2026, the portfolio traded at a P/E ratio of 30.4 and a price-to-book ratio of 5.6, with BlackRock Asset Management Ireland serving as the fund manager.
Top 10 Holdings
The iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF maintains a low Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.07% p.a., employs full physical replication, holds a UCITS status with an Ireland domicile, and operates as an accumulating (Acc) fund. Physical replication means the fund managers actively buy and hold the underlying shares of the S&P 500 companies to mirror the index performance as accurately as possible.
The UCITS regulatory framework provides a standardized level of investor protection and transparency across the European Union, which is crucial for EU-based investors accessing foreign markets. Because the fund has an Ireland domicile, it benefits from favorable withholding tax treaties on U.S. dividends.
As an accumulating fund, all generated dividends are automatically reinvested back into the fund's assets, seamlessly increasing the Net Asset Value (NAV) over time. Although the base currency of the fund's underlying assets is USD, the ETF is frequently quoted and traded in EUR on European exchanges. Please note that exact tax obligations regarding capital gains and reinvested dividends depend entirely on your local tax jurisdiction.
The iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF ACC (SXR8) automatically reinvests dividends within the fund, contrasting directly with the distributing (Dist) version of the same iShares family which pays out cash dividends to the investor. The primary operational difference lies in dividend handling: accumulation maximizes the compound interest effect by keeping all capital invested, while distribution provides a physical passive income stream.
Long-term investors focused on capital growth generally prefer the accumulating structure, whereas those seeking regular payouts to supplement their income might opt for the distributing version. But how dividend process really work across accumulating ETFs?
If the companies within the S&P 500 pay a 1.5% average dividend yield over a year, the SXR8 (Acc) will see its unit price increase proportionally to reflect that reinvested cash. In contrast, the Distributing version will physically transfer that 1.5% directly to your brokerage account balance as cash. The choice between these two versions can significantly impact your tax liabilities. Some jurisdictions tax distributed dividends immediately upon receipt, while accumulating funds may allow you to defer taxation until the ETF units are eventually sold.
The value of the iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF depends entirely on the stock prices of the 500 companies within the S&P 500 index, exposing investors to general equity market risk, U.S. concentration risk, and USD/EUR currency risk. When evaluating this ETF, investors must recognize that tracking a benchmark does not eliminate the inherent dangers of the stock market.
To make an informed decision, you should consider the following distinct risk factors:
Remember that Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) carry inherent investment risks. The value of your investment may fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Investors can gain exposure to this market by purchasing units of the iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF on an exchange via a brokerage account, though the S&P 500 is also accessible through other derivative instruments. Obtaining access to the U.S. benchmark is straightforward through standard modern financial infrastructure.
You can access the U.S. equity market through several different avenues depending on your profile and strategy:
When trading SXR8 on European exchanges, the settlement currency is typically EUR, which can eliminate the need for manual currency conversion by the investor during the trade execution phase.
Complete the form and send relevant documents - all without unnecessary formalities. The opening of an account depends on an appropriateness assessment, verified by a test.
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Complete the form and send relevant documents - all without unnecessary formalities. The opening of an account depends on an appropriateness assessment, verified by a test.
Choose a deposit method convenient for you from a range of available ones, including instant and free payments
The iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (SXR8) is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the S&P 500 Index, giving investors exposure to 500 of the largest publicly traded U.S. companies. It is designed for long-term investing and provides broad access to the U.S. stock market through a single ETF.
SXR8 invests in the same companies that make up the S&P 500, including many of the world's largest businesses across sectors such as technology, healthcare, financials, consumer goods, and industrials. Because the index is market-cap weighted, larger companies have a greater influence on the ETF's performance.
Almost. SXR8 does not own the index itself—it owns the shares of the companies included in the S&P 500 through physical replication. Its objective is to closely match the index's performance before fees and expenses.
The accumulating (Acc) version automatically reinvests all dividends back into the fund, increasing the value of each ETF unit over time. The distributing (Dist) version pays dividends directly to investors as cash, making it more suitable for those seeking regular income.
Why do many European investors choose SXR8?SXR8 is UCITS-compliant and domiciled in Ireland, making it easily accessible through European brokers. It also benefits from the regulatory framework designed for European investors and can offer tax advantages compared with directly holding certain U.S.-domiciled ETFs, depending on local tax rules.
No cash dividends are paid to investors because SXR8 is an accumulating ETF. Instead, dividends received from the underlying companies are automatically reinvested into the fund, allowing returns to compound over time.
Although the ETF is diversified across 500 companies, it remains exposed to U.S. equity market risk. Other important risks include a high weighting toward large technology companies, fluctuations in the EUR/USD exchange rate for European investors, and periods of broad market volatility caused by economic or geopolitical events.
Many investors use SXR8 as a core long-term portfolio holding because it offers diversified exposure to the U.S. stock market at a relatively low cost. Its accumulating structure is also popular among investors focused on long-term capital growth through compounding rather than generating current income.
Buying SXR8 provides instant exposure to hundreds of companies in a single transaction, reducing the impact of poor performance by any one business. Purchasing individual stocks requires selecting and monitoring each company separately and generally involves greater concentration risk.
Yes. SXR8 is listed on European stock exchanges, including Xetra, and can generally be purchased through most brokerage platforms that offer ETF investing. Investors buy and sell ETF units in the same way they trade ordinary shares during market hours.
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