At a glance
BKSE charges 0.04% a year, below the 0.32% average of the 8 funds most like it (the cheapest of 9). It has $87.3M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 1.29% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +14.9% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +21.3% a year. At its worst it fell 25.4% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 15 months after the low. Its ten largest positions make up 3.9% of the fund, out of 594 in all.
The short version
BNY Mellon US Small Cap Core Equity ETF (BKSE) is an index fund that tracks the Solactive GBS United States 600 Index. The index holds about 600 small US companies, the tier below the 500 largest and the next 400 mid-sized names. What sets it apart is cost: its 0.04% expense ratio is the lowest among nine similar small-cap funds, which average 0.32%. The trade-off is size. It had about $87 million in assets as of July 31, 2026.
Price history
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BKSE +14.9% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BKSE official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +13.02% | — | +7.54% | — | +16.82% |
| Solactive GBS United States 600 Index TR (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +13.01% | — | +8.12% | — | +18.15% |
| S&P Composite 1500® Index (1) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +17.02% | — | +13.96% | — | +19.50% |
| BKSE price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +15.0% | +14.9% | +21.3% | +7.5% | — | +7.2% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, BKSE returned +14.9%, 3rd of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +7.5%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-18.4%); its best was 2023 (+22.4%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 29.1% (Nov 8, 2021 to Sep 26, 2022), recovered by Jul 16, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +15.0% | — |
| 2025 | +13.1% | +13.02% |
| 2024 | +9.6% | +9.64% |
| 2023 | +22.4% | +22.37% |
| 2022 | -18.4% | -18.44% |
| 2021 | — | +16.30% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 24% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 25.4%, back to its old high 15 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.4033 | |
| 2025 | $0.4733 | -8.4% |
| 2024 | $0.5167 | +19.2% |
| 2023 | $0.4333 | +11.1% |
| 2022 | $0.3900 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 594 securities; the ten largest made up 3.93% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| HUT 8 CORP | 0.47% | |
| CORCEPT THERAPEUTICS INC | 0.46% | |
| GLAUKOS CORP | 0.41% | |
| AVANTOR INC | 0.40% | |
| BRINKER INTERNATIONAL INC | 0.40% | |
| TIMKEN COMPANY (THE) | 0.38% | |
| PROTAGONIST THERAPEUTICS INC | 0.36% | |
| JFROG LTD | 0.35% | |
| HANOVER INSURANCE GROUP INC (THE) | 0.35% | |
| RYMAN HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES INC | 0.35% | |
| STONEX GROUP INC | 0.34% | |
| ETSY INC | 0.34% | |
| CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS INC | 0.34% | |
| COMPASS INC | 0.34% | |
| CHEMED CORP | 0.34% |
By country
United States 93.99%Bermuda 2.06%Ireland 0.7%United Kingdom 0.66%Canada 0.41%By asset type
Stocks 99.82%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $1.3M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +2.52%, +5.39%, -1.22%.
How it works
The fund tracks the Solactive GBS United States 600 Index. To qualify, a company must be listed on a major US exchange, trade in dollars and pass tradability tests. Common stocks and REITs qualify. REITs are real estate investment trusts, companies that own property and pass along most of their income. Companies in Solactive's 500-largest and 400-mid-cap indexes are excluded. As of December 31, 2025, the index held 598 stocks, ranging from $295 million to $8.77 billion in market value.
The index reshuffles every quarter, in February, May, August and November. Eligible stocks are ranked by market value. The top 510 get in automatically. Existing members ranked 511 to 720 keep their place until the count reaches 600. This buffer cuts trading in stocks that hover near the cutoff. Each stock is weighted by its free-float market value, meaning the value of shares available to the public. No single stock is large: the top 10 made up 3.93% of the fund as of July 31, 2026.
The fund normally buys every stock in the index at its index weight, but it may hold a representative sample instead. It must keep at least 80% of its assets in small US stocks, related ETFs or derivatives. Financials made up about 28% of the index as of December 31, 2025.
What it really costs
- BKSE charges 0.04% a year, versus an average of 0.32% for the similar funds below (1st of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $4 in the first year and $51 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BKSE | $4 | $13 | $23 | $51 |
In a retirement portfolio
It adds hundreds of smaller US companies that many large-company core funds leave out, at a very low cost.
BKSE could add a slice of small US companies alongside a core of large companies. In the SEC's standard $10,000 example, it costs $4 for one year and $51 over 10 years. Small companies swing harder than large ones. In the 2022 bear market the fund fell 25.4% and took 15 months from its low to recover. Its deepest drop was 29.1%, from November 8, 2021 to September 26, 2022, and it did not recover until July 16, 2024, about 22 months after the low. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -18.44%. Its price history starts in 2021, so there is no record for 2008 or 2020. Anyone who has to sell shares during a stretch like that would lock in losses.
The fund isn't built for income. Its yield was 1.29% as of October 27, 2026, and it pays dividends quarterly. Past results don't predict future returns, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Cost-focused investors wanting small-cap exposure: BKSE charges 0.04% a year, against a 0.32% average for eight similar funds.
- Investors who want broad, spread-out holdings: about 594 stocks, with the top 10 just 3.93% of assets as of July 31, 2026.
- Investors adding a small-company slice to a large-company core who can sit through drops like the fund's 25.4% fall in 2022.
Look elsewhere if
- Investors seeking meaningful income: the trailing yield was 1.29% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- Investors who prefer large, heavily traded funds: BKSE had about $87 million in assets, versus roughly $83 billion for iShares Russell 2000 ETF.
- Investors bothered by trailing large companies: 7.54% a year over the five years to December 31, 2025, versus 13.96% for the S&P Composite 1500.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BKSE this fund | — | 0.04% | $87.3M | +14.9% | +21.3% |
| JHSC John Hancock Multifactor Small Cap ETF | 65% | 0.42% | $687.4M | +11.9% | +17.8% |
| RSSL Global X Russell 2000 ETF | 53% | 0.08% | $1.49B | +13.2% | — |
| VTWO Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF | 53% | 0.07% | $17.95B | +15.4% | +21.2% |
| IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 51% | 0.19% | $82.97B | +14.5% | +19.3% |
| TPSC Timothy Plan US Small Cap Core ETF | 50% | 0.52% | $357.0M | +13.0% | +18.2% |
| VIOO Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF | 48% | 0.07% | $6.45B | +16.7% | +18.6% |
| RFLR Innovator U.S. Small Cap Managed Floor ETF | 47% | 0.89% | $92.0M | +11.9% | — |
Questions investors ask
What index does BKSE track?
BKSE tracks the Solactive GBS United States 600 Index, a list of about 600 small companies listed in the US. It leaves out companies in Solactive's 500-largest and 400-mid-cap indexes. As of December 31, 2025, its companies ranged from $295 million to $8.77 billion in market value, and financials made up about 28% of the index. The index reshuffles every quarter, and larger companies get bigger weights based on the value of their publicly traded shares.
BKSE vs IWM: what's the difference?
Both hold small US companies, but they follow different indexes. BKSE tracks a Solactive index, while IWM tracks the Russell 2000, and their holdings overlapped about 51%. BKSE charges 0.04% a year and IWM charges 0.19%. IWM is far larger, with about $83 billion in assets as of June 30, 2026. BKSE had about $87 million as of July 31, 2026. Three-year returns were close: 21.3% a year for BKSE as of October 27, 2026, and 21% for IWM as of October 30, 2026.
Does BKSE pay dividends?
Yes. BKSE pays dividends quarterly, but they are modest. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $0.55 per share, a yield of 1.29%. That income comes from dividends paid by the small companies and REITs it holds. Investors looking mainly for steady income may want to compare dividend-focused or bond funds, since this fund is built to track small-company stock returns, not to produce income.
What is BKSE's expense ratio?
BKSE's expense ratio is 0.04% a year, according to its prospectus filed February 27, 2026. That is $4 a year on a $10,000 investment. In the SEC's standard example, which assumes a 5% yearly return, total costs come to $13 over three years, $23 over five and $51 over 10. Among nine similar small-cap funds, it ranks first on cost, against a 0.32% average. Vanguard's small-cap ETFs VTWO and VIOO each charge 0.07%.
How did BKSE do in the 2022 bear market?
BKSE fell sharply. From January 4 to September 26, 2022, it lost 25.4%, and it took 15 months from that low to recover, on December 27, 2023. It returned -18.44% for calendar 2022, its worst year so far. Its deepest drop was 29.1%, starting in November 2021, and it did not fully recover until July 2024. The fund launched in April 2020, and its price history starts in 2021, so there is no record of how it behaved in 2008 or the 2020 crash.