Should Global X Russell 2000 ETF (RSSL) Be on Your Investing Radar?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, look no further than the Global X Russell 2000 ETF (RSSL), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on June 4, 2024.

The fund is sponsored by Global X Management. It has amassed assets over $1.40 billion, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

Why Small Cap Blend

With more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 billion, epitomizes this way of thinking.

Typically holding a combination of both growth and value stocks, blend ETFs also demonstrate qualities seen in value and growth investments.

Costs

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.08%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.46%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Industrials sector -- about 18.3% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Bloom Energy Corp- A (BE) accounts for about 1.14% of total assets, followed by Fabrinet (FN) and Credo Technology Group Holdi (CRDO).

The top 10 holdings account for about 5.75% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

RSSL seeks to match the performance of the RUSSELL 2000 RIC CAPPED INDEX before fees and expenses. The Russell 2000 RIC Capped Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market.

The ETF has gained about 2.9% so far this year and it's up approximately 42.48% in the last one year (as of 04/08/2026). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $71.35 and $105.73.

The ETF has a beta of 1.30 and standard deviation of 22.33% for the trailing three-year period. With about 1930 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Global X Russell 2000 ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, RSSL is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 ETF has $72.03 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has $93.61 billion. IWM has an expense ratio of 0.19% and IJR charges 0.06%.

Bottom-Line

Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

Boost Your Portfolio with Our Top ETF Insights

Zacks' exclusive Fund Newsletter delivers actionable information, top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, straight to your inbox every week.

Don’t miss out on this valuable resource. It’s free!

Get it now >>

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Global X Russell 2000 ETF (RSSL): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research