XGRO ETF: 80/20 one-ticker growth portfolio

Short answer: XGRO is iShares’ 80/20 stock-bond one-ticker portfolio ETF. About 0.20% MER, roughly $4.9B in assets, and it rebalances itself. It is the non-ESG, lower-cost sibling of GGRO and one of the default building blocks for a hands-off Canadian portfolio.

XGRO is the growth-allocation rung on iShares’ Core portfolio ladder. One ticker holds a globally diversified mix of roughly 80% stocks and 20% bonds, rebalanced for you, with no ESG screen applied.

Not financial advice. Fund details change. Check current disclosures.

What XGRO actually is

XGRO is a TSX-listed ETF managed by iShares Canada (BlackRock). Fund-of-funds structure: it holds a basket of underlying iShares index ETFs for global equities, plus iShares bond index ETFs for the fixed-income sleeve. You buy one ticker and get a complete, automatically rebalanced portfolio underneath.

XGRO fund facts
Attribute	Value
Ticker	XGRO (TSX)
Structure	Current 80/20 asset-allocation portfolio since 2019 (ticker listed 2007)
Asset mix	about 80/20 stocks/bonds, globally diversified
MER	about 0.20% (0.18% management fee)
Currency	CAD
Net assets	about $4.9B (mid-2026)
1-year return	about 22.0% (trailing, mid-2026)

What XGRO holds

XGRO asset allocation

U.S. equity 36.0%

Canadian equity 19.5%

International equity 17.5%

Emerging markets equity 6.0%

Fixed income 19.5%

Cash 1.5%

Approximate composition based on XGRO's target 80/20 split and the iShares Core building blocks, mid-2026. Verify against current issuer disclosures.

The equity sleeve is built from broad iShares index ETFs covering U.S., Canadian, international developed, and emerging markets. The bond sleeve uses iShares Canadian and global bond index ETFs. Nothing is screened or actively picked, it is the whole market in the chosen proportions.

The fee

Fee drag calculator

How much XGRO's MER costs vs VGRO over time

Starting balance Annual contribution Years Gross return %

Extra cost from XGRO

That's what you pay XGRO (0.2%) over 20 years above what VGRO (0.24%) would charge on the same portfolio.

XGRO total fees

VGRO total fees

Peer comparison: VGRO, Vanguard's 80/20 growth portfolio, the closest competitor. Assumes constant gross return, annual contributions made at year-end, and MER charged on average annual balance. Real returns vary.

For illustration only. Simplified compounding. Ignores trading costs, tracking error, distribution reinvestment timing, taxes, and the obvious fact that real returns are not constant. MERs and peer fees as of May 2026 and may change. Do not use this number as the basis for a real decision.

At about 0.20%, XGRO is one of the cheapest one-ticker 80/20 wrappers in Canada. It undercuts both VGRO (0.24%) and its own ESG sibling GGRO (0.24%) by 4 basis points.

Tax treatment

Tax treatment for Canadian investors

Distribution frequency: Quarterly
What distributions are made of: Mix of Canadian dividends, foreign income, bond interest, and modest capital gains
Foreign withholding tax applies to the international equity sleeve
In a registered account: In a TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, or other registered account, all distributions are sheltered. The most natural placement for an 80/20 wrapper.
In a non-registered account: Bond interest plus foreign income makes 80/20 wrappers among the least tax-efficient placements in a non-registered account.

General guidance, not tax advice. Distribution composition shifts year to year, and edge cases (currency-hedged wrappers, fund-of-funds structures, the U.S.-Canada treaty's reach inside an RRSP) can change the picture. Confirm with the issuer's current T3 disclosures and a tax professional before acting.

How XGRO compares to alternatives

XGRO vs GGRO. Same 80/20 structure. GGRO adds an ESG screen on the equity sleeve for 4 bps more. If you have no strong ESG view, XGRO does the same structural job for less.
XGRO vs VGRO. Near-identical 80/20 mandates from rival issuers. XGRO is 4 bps cheaper and tends to hold slightly more U.S. equity, VGRO slightly more Canadian. The difference is small.
XGRO vs the rest of the iShares Core ladder. Pick the rung by volatility tolerance. XEQT is 100% equity, XGRO is 80/20 growth, XBAL is 60/40 balanced, XCNS is 40/60 conservative.

For a wider look at how XGRO stacks up against newer all-in-one ETFs, see our roundup of other recent ETF launches.

Frequently asked questions

What is XGRO.TO?

XGRO is iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio. It is a one-ticker, globally diversified ETF holding roughly 80% stocks and 20% bonds, rebalanced automatically.

What is XGRO’s MER?

About 0.20%, built on a 0.18% management fee. That is among the lowest for a one-ticker 80/20 portfolio in Canada.

What does XGRO hold?

A basket of underlying iShares index ETFs covering U.S., Canadian, international, and emerging-market stocks, plus Canadian and global bond index ETFs. Equity is about 80% of the fund, bonds about 20%.

Does XGRO rebalance itself?

Yes. iShares maintains the target 80/20 mix for you, so you never have to rebalance the underlying holdings manually.

Can I hold XGRO in a TFSA?

Yes. It is TSX-listed and CAD-denominated, eligible in all standard Canadian registered accounts including TFSA, RRSP, and FHSA.

Should I pick XGRO or XEQT?

XEQT is 100% equity, XGRO adds a 20% bond sleeve to soften the ride. If you want lower volatility and some fixed income, XGRO. If you want maximum long-run growth and can stomach the swings, XEQT.

How does XGRO compare to VGRO?

Both are 80/20 one-ticker growth portfolios. XGRO is iShares’, VGRO is Vanguard’s. XGRO is slightly cheaper and tilts a bit more to U.S. equity. Exposure is otherwise very similar.

Is XGRO a good ETF?

For a hands-off Canadian investor who wants a single growth-tilted holding, XGRO is one of the strongest defaults available. It pairs broad global diversification with a 0.20% MER near the bottom of its category and rebalances itself automatically. Whether it is right for you comes down to fit: an 80/20 stock-bond split needs to match how much volatility you can actually live with.

The honest verdict

Good fit for

DIY investors who want one ticker to hold a complete, automatically rebalanced 80/20 portfolio at a rock-bottom fee, with no ESG screen and no fuss.

Skip if

You want 100% equity (look at XEQT) or you specifically want an ESG screen (look at GGRO).

Bottom line

XGRO is about as close to a default answer as Canadian DIY investing has for a growth-tilted, hands-off portfolio. One ticker, roughly 80/20, globally diversified, automatically rebalanced, and priced near the bottom of its category. The main decision is not XGRO versus some cheaper clone, it is which rung of the ladder, 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, matches how much volatility you actually want to live with.

XGRO ETF: what iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio is, what it holds, and how it works