Launched on June 4, 2024, the Global X Russell 2000 ETF (RSSL Quick QuoteRSSL - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

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

Why Small Cap Blend

There's a lot of potential to investing in small cap companies, but with market capitalization below $2 billion, that high potential comes with even higher risk.

Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.

Costs

Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.

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 1.27%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Industrials sector -- about 18.9% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Bloom Energy Corp- A (BE) accounts for about 0.95% of total assets, followed by Credo Technology Group Holdi (CRDO) and Kratos Defense & Security (KTOS).

The top 10 holdings account for about 5.67% 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 added roughly 6.28% so far this year and is up about 16.74% in the last one year (as of 02/03/2026). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $68.51 and $105.73.

The ETF has a beta of 1.39 and standard deviation of 22.37% for the trailing three-year period. With about 1953 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 $74.78 billion in assets, iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has $94.47 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.