Best Cash & Ultra-Short ETFs (2026)
Where to park cash you may need within a year or two — 9 funds ranked on cost, yield, return, risk and ETFValuer's overall grade.
Every figure on this page is recalculated from market data each day, so the ranking reflects current conditions rather than whenever this page was written. Educational content — not financial advice.
Top Picks Right Now
- highest yield here at 4.53%
- best risk-adjusted return (Sharpe -0.59)
- strongest 3-year return at +17.4%
Ranked by ETFValuer's overall score. Recalculated every day from live market data — these positions change as the underlying numbers move.
At a Glance
Each superlative is measured within this group of 9 funds, not across the whole market.
All 9 Funds Ranked
| Fund | Category | Cost | Yield | 1Y | 3Y | Volatility | Max DD | Sharpe | AUM | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 FLOTiShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.15% | 4.53% | +4.5% | +17.4% | 0.8% | -1.6% | -0.59 | $10.0B | 57.7 | C |
| 2 JPSTJPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.18% | 4.25% | +4.0% | +15.9% | 0.5% | -0.3% | -1.77 | $39.3B | 57.3 | C |
| 3 SHViShares 0–1 Year Treasury Bond ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.15% | 3.82% | +3.8% | +14.2% | 0.2% | -0.0% | -5.46 | $20.9B | 55.9 | C |
| 4 ICSHiShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.08% | 4.33% | +4.0% | +15.8% | 0.4% | -0.1% | -2.16 | $7.8B | 55.7 | C |
| 5 MINTPIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.36% | 4.27% | +4.5% | +16.5% | 0.3% | -0.2% | -1.72 | $16.4B | 54.6 | C |
| 6 CLIPGlobal X 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.07% | 3.90% | +3.9% | +14.4% | 0.2% | -0.1% | -4.93 | $2.6B | 53.4 | C |
| 7 XHLFBondbloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.03% | 3.84% | +3.8% | +14.2% | 0.3% | -0.1% | -3.75 | $1.9B | 53.1 | C |
| 8 NEARiShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.25% | 4.43% | +3.4% | +16.9% | 1.4% | -1.2% | -1.18 | $4.8B | 52.8 | C |
| 9 JSCPJPMorgan Short Duration Core Plus ETF | Ultra-Short / Cash | 0.33% | 4.48% | +3.6% | +17.2% | 1.7% | -1.6% | -0.83 | $1.6B | 51.3 | C |
Max DD is the deepest peak-to-trough fall over the measurement window. Sharpe ratio measures return per unit of volatility — higher is better. Every figure is recalculated daily.
What Makes a Good Fund Here
These funds are cash substitutes, not investments. Their job is to pay close to the prevailing short-term rate with minimal price movement, so the ranking weights stability and cost far more than return.
The ETFValuer score blends trailing return, risk-adjusted return, expense ratio, maximum drawdown, fund size and volatility, each percentile-ranked against the full tracked universe, into a single 0-100 figure graded A+ to F. It is a systematic summary of past data, not a forecast — read it alongside the individual columns rather than instead of them.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Full metric-by-metric breakdowns for the closest calls in this group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best ETF for holding cash?
FLOT ranks highest of the 9 ultra-short funds tracked (57.7, C). XHLF is the cheapest at 0.03%.
Are cash ETFs safer than a savings account?
They are not FDIC-insured, unlike a bank deposit. Ultra-short Treasury funds carry very little price risk, but 'very little' is not 'none' — the trade-off is typically a higher yield than a standard savings account.
Compare any of these funds directly
Side-by-side metrics, holdings overlap and return correlation for any pair.