Fund-vs-fund · NZ Fixed Interest
NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds vs Smart NZ Bond ETF
Both are NZ Fixed Interest funds available to NZ retail investors. Numbers below are sourced from the FMA Disclose register via Sorted Smart Investor and reflect the latest published quarterly fund updates.
Why these two differ
The most material structural difference between these two funds is risk profile: the Smart NZ Bond ETF carries a risk indicator of 3, while the NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds fund sits at a higher risk indicator of 4, despite both funds reporting identical income-to-growth asset splits (99.93% income, 0.07% growth). This divergence suggests differences in underlying volatility characteristics — likely driven by portfolio construction and duration rather than asset-class allocation alone.
Fee structure is the next significant contrast. The Smart NZ Bond ETF charges 0.54% per annum; the NZ Funds equivalent charges 1.44% — a gap of 90 basis points that compounds materially over time in a low-return fixed interest environment. Over the five-year period captured in each fund's latest Quarterly Fund Update, the Smart NZ Bond ETF returned 1.43% per annum against 0.97% for the NZ Funds offering, though past returns are not a reliable indicator of future performance.
The NZ Funds portfolio is considerably larger at approximately $144.7 million versus $58.4 million for Smartshares. Holdings construction differs notably: the Smart NZ Bond ETF's top positions are dominated by government and local government finance authority bonds, whereas the NZ Funds portfolio concentrates heavily in bank paper, with Westpac and ANZ instruments occupying over 27% of disclosed top holdings combined, and a perpetual Kiwibank note among the top five.
Always verify these figures against the source Product Disclosure Statement and latest Quarterly Fund Update on FMA Disclose before relying on any of this information.
Comparison generated 2026-07-05 from each fund's FMA Disclose QFU facts as at that date. If the underlying facts change, this narrative is withheld until it is regenerated — the tables on this page always reflect the current data.
What's different at a glance
- Smart NZ Bond ETF charges 0.90% lower in annual fund charges (0.54% vs 1.44%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
- NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds is roughly 2.5× the size of the other fund.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 14 nz fixed interest funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
NZ Funds
1.44%
Highest 4% of cohort
Smartshares
0.54%
Lower half of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
NZ Funds
0.97%
Lower half over 5 years
Smartshares
1.43%
Upper half over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
NZ Funds
NZ$145m
Lower half by size
Smartshares
NZ$58m
Lower half by size
| Metric | NZ Funds | Smartshares | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 1.44% | 0.54% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 4 | 3 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | 0.97% | 1.43% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$145m | NZ$58m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 0% / 100% | 0% / 100% | More growth = higher long-run return + volatility |
| NZ tax structure | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE = simpler. FIF = annual return. |
| Currency hedging | — | — | Hedged smooths NZD/foreign FX moves at a small cost. |
| Responsible investment screening | No | No | Specific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO. |
| Available via | Direct | Direct | Platforms accepting retail subscriptions. |
Portfolio overlap
How many top-10 positions both funds hold, and at what weight. Computed from each fund's most recently disclosed top-10 holdings — exact-name matched (Microsoft Corp. = Microsoft Corporation), with a Cash / Cash & Equivalents collapse rule.
What each fund says it does
NZ Funds
NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds
The objective of the New Zealand and Australian Bonds fund is to generate gains by investing in income assets and other authorised assets with active management. The fund is anticipated to mainly own and trade New Zealand and Australian bonds over the minimum suggested timeframe.Full NZ Funds NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds profile →
Smartshares
Smart NZ Bond ETF
The Smart NZ Bond ETF is designed to provide a return (before tax, fees and other expenses) that outperforms the S&P/NZX A-Grade Corporate Bond Total Return Index over rolling three-year periods.Full Smartshares Smart NZ Bond ETF profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds and the Smart NZ Bond ETF?
Which fund has lower fees, NZ Funds New Zealand and Australian Bonds or Smart NZ Bond ETF?
How do the 5-year returns compare?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
