BIL is the US-dollar equivalent of CBIL: a cash-management ETF that holds nothing but short-dated US Treasury Bills (1-3 month maturities). It does one job, parking cash safely in the most liquid, most trusted government debt market in the world, and pays the income out monthly. It is backed by the full faith and credit of the US government, trades on the NYSE, and holds its price tightly around $91-92. Because the US Federal Reserve's policy rate sits meaningfully above the Bank of Canada's, BIL currently yields around 4.0%, notably higher than CBIL's ~2.2%. For a Canadian investor, that higher yield comes with a catch: BIL is denominated in US dollars, so you take on CAD/USD currency risk. The exchange rate can move more in a week than BIL yields in a year, which means BIL is really two bets in one: a bet on US short-term rates (the safe part) and a bet on the US dollar versus the loonie (the volatile part). It is an excellent USD cash-parking and hedging tool if you already think in USD or want USD exposure; it is a currency bet wearing a safe-asset costume if you do not.
Catalysts
N/A
Key risks
N/A
Portfolio position
1.7% of RRSP-0.11%
Role in Portfolio
Steady USD income source: Pays monthly distributions tracking US T-bill yields (~4.0% currently), higher than Canadian equivalents because US policy rates are higher.
USD cash parking / dry powder: A place to hold US-dollar capital (e.g., proceeds from selling US-listed positions) earning a yield while waiting to redeploy, without converting back to CAD and incurring FX fees twice.
Hedge against market downturns: Like CBIL, holds its value when equities sell off. Near-zero correlation to stocks, no meaningful drawdown risk in USD terms.
Implicit USD currency exposure: For a Canadian, holding BIL is also a position on the US dollar strengthening (or at least not weakening) against the loonie. This can be a feature (if you want USD exposure) or a bug (if you do not).
Last Updated: May 21, 2026
Price at time of writing: ~$91.55 USD (May 20, 2026)
Asset Class: Fixed income / cash equivalent (US Government T-Bills, 1-3 month maturity)
Issuer: State Street Global Advisors (SPDR)
Verdict: An excellent USD cash-management and hedging tool, with a higher yield than Canadian equivalents, but it carries CAD/USD currency risk for a Canadian investor that dwarfs the yield. Best used for capital you genuinely want held in USD, not as a CAD cash substitute. If you want a pure cash hedge in your home currency, CBIL is the cleaner instrument; BIL is for when you specifically want US-dollar exposure plus yield.
Plain-English Explanation
What BIL actually is
BIL holds a basket of US Treasury Bills maturing in one to three months, constantly rolling them as they mature, and passes the interest to you as monthly distributions. A US Treasury Bill is a short-term loan to the US government, considered the global benchmark for a "risk-free" asset. The price stays near $91-92 because short-term T-bills barely move. You collect interest income on the safest US-dollar debt that exists, in a form you can trade instantly on the NYSE.
The catch for a Canadian: everything BIL does is in US dollars. Your distributions are in USD. The value of your holding, when translated back to Canadian dollars, rises and falls with the CAD/USD exchange rate. So even though the US T-bills underneath are rock-solid, your return in Canadian-dollar terms depends heavily on currency movements.
Why someone holds it
Three reasons, with an important currency caveat:
Higher yield than Canadian cash. US policy rates are above Canadian rates, so BIL yields roughly 4.0% versus CBIL's ~2.2%. If you hold USD anyway, this is meaningfully more income for the same safety.
A natural home for US-dollar capital. If you sell a US-listed stock and have USD proceeds, BIL lets that cash earn a yield without converting back to CAD (which costs FX spread both ways). It keeps your USD working while you decide what to buy next.
A safe-haven that holds value in selloffs. Like any T-bill fund, BIL does not fall when stocks fall. In USD terms it is a stable hedge.
The currency caveat: For a Canadian, the ~4.0% yield can be entirely wiped out, or doubled, by CAD/USD moves. If the loonie strengthens 5% against the dollar, your BIL position loses about 5% in CAD terms, more than erasing a year of yield. If the loonie weakens, you gain on top of the yield. This makes BIL a fundamentally different risk profile from CBIL despite looking similar on the surface.
A simple analogy
CBIL is a savings account in your own currency: safe, boring, predictable. BIL is a savings account in a foreign currency: it pays more interest, but the value of the account swings with the exchange rate. The interest is the safe, boring part. The currency is the part that actually drives your return as a Canadian. Holding BIL means you are comfortable with, or actively want, that US-dollar exposure.
Current Data Snapshot
Metric
Value
Price
~$91.55 USD (May 20, 2026)
Net assets (AUM)
~$46B (one of the largest T-bill ETFs in the world)
Expense ratio
0.1353%
Distribution frequency
Monthly
Distribution yield
~4.0% (tracks US 1-3 month T-bill yields)
Underlying holdings
US Government T-Bills, 1-3 month maturity
Credit risk
Effectively nil (backed by US government)
Interest rate risk
Very low (1-3 month duration)
Currency risk (for a Canadian)
Significant (CAD/USD exposure)
Beta (5Y monthly)
~0.00 (no correlation to equities, in USD terms)
Context on yield: BIL's ~4.0% yield reflects the higher US federal funds rate relative to Canada's 2.25% overnight rate. This yield will move with US Fed policy. The headline yield advantage over CBIL (~1.8 percentage points) is real, but for a Canadian investor it must be weighed against currency volatility, which can easily exceed that spread in either direction over short periods.
Key Considerations
What works
Higher yield than Canadian equivalents: ~4.0% vs ~2.2% for CBIL, reflecting higher US rates.
Deepest, most liquid T-bill market in the world: $46B AUM, US Treasury backing.
Excellent home for USD cash: Avoids round-trip FX costs if you transact in US-listed securities.
Safe-haven in USD terms: Holds value in equity selloffs; near-zero equity correlation.
Low fee: 0.1353% expense ratio.
What to keep in mind
Currency risk dominates for a Canadian. This is the single most important point. CAD/USD can move several percent in weeks. That swing can dwarf the entire annual yield. BIL is not a low-risk asset for a Canadian unless you specifically want USD exposure; the FX risk is real and can go either way.
It is really two bets: a safe bet on US short rates plus a volatile bet on the US dollar. Be honest about whether you want the second bet.
Yield is rate-dependent. If the Fed cuts, BIL's income falls.
FX conversion costs. Buying BIL from a CAD account means converting CAD to USD (and back when you sell), incurring spread. This eats into the yield advantage unless you already hold USD.
Not a CAD cash substitute. If your goal is simply a safe place to hold Canadian dollars and hedge a CAD-denominated portfolio, CBIL does that job without the currency complication. Reach for BIL only when you want USD exposure or already hold USD.
CBIL vs BIL: quick comparison for a Canadian investor
Factor
CBIL.TO
BIL
Currency
CAD (no FX risk)
USD (FX risk)
Yield
~2.2%
~4.0%
Government backing
Canada
United States
Best use
CAD cash parking, CAD-portfolio hedge
USD cash parking, wanting USD exposure
Hidden risk
None material
Currency swings can exceed yield
Verdict for CAD investor
Cleaner pure cash hedge
Yield pickup but only if you want USD exposure
This document is research for personal use. Not investment advice. BIL is a USD-denominated cash-equivalent instrument; for a Canadian investor its return depends materially on the CAD/USD exchange rate in addition to US short-term interest rates. Verify current yield, price, distributions, and FX implications through primary sources (ssga.com) before any transaction.