BMO Fixed Income ETFs: Innovating to serve you better
BMO’s Fixed Income ETF suite offers scalable, low cost and liquid solutions to access unique aspects of the Canadian bond market.
Aug. 25, 2025For investors that require a stable source of income, diversification, and liquidity, fixed income plays an important role in portfolio construction. Building diversified portfolios with individual issues can mean higher trading costs, limited dealer inventory among other challenges. BMO’s Fixed Income ETF suite offers scalable, low cost and liquid solutions to access unique aspects of the Canadian bond market.
Here are a few innovative ETF ideas to help achieve your investment objectives:
Goals-based investing: BMO Target Maturity Bond ETFs
Help clients plan with certainty. Whether it’s saving for a downpayment in one year or covering university tuition in three, BMO Target Maturity Bond ETFs takes the guess work out of goal-based investing. Each ETF holds a diversified basked of Canadian corporate bonds to a fixed maturity date – just like an individual bond – so cash can be available exactly when you or your clients need it.
What sets BMO apart is the built in forward rate feature, locking in a yield for a predictable outcome. Internal Rates of Return (IRRs) are published weekly on BMO ETF Dashboard, making it simple to calculate today’s required amount and the expected value at maturity.
Advisors can also scale efficiently by aligning maturities across client accounts with one bulk trade. And with three maturity dates – 2027, 2028, 2029 – laddered portfolios can also be built to enhance liquidity and further reduce reinvestment risk.
Maturity Date: |
Source: Bloomberg, BMO GAM as of August 8, 2025.
ZXCO Duration: 1.74, ZXCP Duration: 2.67, ZXCO Duration : 3.51
Tax-efficient exposure: BMO Discount Bond ETFs
Tax drag is one of the biggest hurdles in managing bond portfolios held in taxable accounts. What ultimately matters is the after-tax return – and discount bonds can help optimize how much an Advisor or their clients keep at tax time.
The BMO Discount Bond Index ETF (ZDB) provides exposure to over 300 discount bonds, similar to the Canadian Aggregate Bond index, across a full spectrum of issuers from government to investment grade corporate bonds with an average credit rating of AA and average duration of 7 years.
There are two shorter duration options to choose from as well, in the BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF (ZSDB) and the BMO Corporate Discount Bond ETF (ZCDB), with average duration of 2.6 years and 3.5 years, respectively.
Because discount bonds trade below their par value and pay a coupon lower than their yield to maturity (YTM), a greater share of total return comes from capital gains, which is taxed more favourably than interest income. The result is a tax-efficient solution to meet your clients’ objectives.
ZDB | BMO Discount Bond Index ETF ZSDB | BMO Discount Bond Index ETF ZCDB |
Source: Bloomberg, BMO GAM as of August 8, 2025.
ZDB YTM: 3.46%, duration: 6.94. ZSDB YTM: 2.95%, duration: 2.60. ZCDB YTM: 3.29%, duration: 3.47
Income enhancement: BMO Canadian Bank Income Index ETF
Canadian bank dividends are a reliable source of income for many Canadian investors. What can be safer than Canadian bank dividends? BMO Canadian Bank Income Index ETF (Ticker: ZBI) is a unique fixed income offering of diversified bank income sources. Including secured and unsecured debt, preferred shares and Limited Recourse Notes (LCRNs). All of which get paid before dividends because they sit on top of common equity within the banks capital stack and backed by the assets of the systemically important institutions.
Securities potentially employed in ZBI
Deposit Notes | Deposits | Covered Bonds | Asset Backed Securities |
Deposit Notes | |||
NVCC Sub Debt | Non-NVCC Sub Debt (Legacy) | Other Tier 2 Capital | |
Preferred Shares ($25 par) | Institutional Preferred Shares ($1000 par) | Limited Recourse Capital Notes (LRCN) | Other potential AT1 Securities |
Common Equity |
The result is a low-risk, short duration, higher-yielding ETF relative to traditional bank fixed income instruments. ZBI can be an attractive option to add as a satellite position to your clients fixed income core, to enhance yield and reduce duration.
- YTM: 3.89%
- Duration: 2.04
Source: Bloomberg, BMO Global Asset Management as of August 8, 2025
BMO ETFs is the largest fixed income ETF issuer in Canada with over 70 fixed income ETFs and over $40 billion in AUM.1 Whether it is target maturity bonds, discount bonds, or Canadian bank income securities, these options exemplify BMO’s innovation and commitment to helping build better client portfolios.
1 Morningstar, as of July 31, 2025.
Performance (%)
Year-to-date |
1-month |
3-month |
6-month |
1-year |
3-year |
5-year |
10-year |
Since Inception |
|
Returns are not available as there is less than one year’s performance data. |
|||||||||
0.56 |
-0.82 |
-0.77 |
-0.64 |
2.74 |
2.60 |
-0.86 |
1.52 |
2.21 |
|
2.18 |
-0.03 |
0.35 |
1.31 |
4.85 |
4.17 |
- |
- |
2.73 |
|
2.80 |
0.15 |
1.05 |
1.89 |
6.11 |
5.27 |
- |
- |
3.20 |
|
3.01 |
0.55 |
2.12 |
2.23 |
6.74 |
6.03 |
- |
- |
3.97 |
Bloomberg, as of July 31, 2025. Inception date for ZXCO, ZXCP, ZXCQ = March 18, 2025, ZDB = February 10, 2025, ZSDB, ZCDB = January 24, 2022, ZBI = February 7, 2022.
Disclaimers For Advisor Use Only.
No portion of this communication may be reproduced or distributed to clients.
The article is for information purposes. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax or legal advice to any party. Particular investments and/or trading strategies should be evaluated relative to the individual’s investment objectives and professional advice should be obtained with respect to any circumstance.
Any statement that necessarily depends on future events may be a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although such statements are based on assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations. Investors are cautioned not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. In connection with any forward-looking statements, investors should carefully consider the areas of risk described in the most recent prospectus.
Third Party Links and Content
This article may contain links to other sites that BMO Global Asset Management does not own or operate. Also, links to sites that BMO Global Asset Management owns or operates may be featured on third party websites on which we advertise, or in instances that we have not endorsed. Links to other websites or references to products, services or publications other than those of BMO Global Asset Management on this [article, presentation, communication, material - revise as appropriate] do not imply the endorsement or approval of such websites, products, services or publication by BMO global Asset Management. We do not manage, and we are not responsible for, the digital marketing and cookie practices of third parties. The linked websites have separate and independent privacy statements, notices and terms of use, which we recommend you read carefully.
Any content from or links to a third-party website are not reviewed or endorsed by us. You use any external websites or third-party content at your own risk. Accordingly, we disclaim any responsibility for them.
Distribution yields are calculated by using the most recent regular distribution, or expected distribution, (which may be based on income, dividends, return of capital, and option premiums, as applicable) and excluding additional year end distributions, and special reinvested distributions annualized for frequency, divided by current net asset value (NAV). The yield calculation does not include reinvested distributions.
Distributions are not guaranteed, may fluctuate and are subject to change and/or elimination. Distribution rates may change without notice (up or down) depending on market conditions and NAV fluctuations.
The payment of distributions should not be confused with the BMO ETF’s performance, rate of return or yield. If distributions paid by a BMO ETF are greater than the performance of the investment fund, your original investment will shrink. Distributions paid as a result of capital gains realized by a BMO ETF, and income and dividends earned by a BMO ETF, are taxable in your hands in the year they are paid.
Your adjusted cost base will be reduced by the amount of any returns of capital. If your adjusted cost base goes below zero, you will have to pay capital gains tax on the amount below zero.
Cash distributions, if any, on units of a BMO ETF (other than accumulating units or units subject to a distribution reinvestment plan) are expected to be paid primarily out of dividends or distributions, and other income or gains, received by the BMO ETF less the expenses of the BMO ETF, but may also consist of non-taxable amounts including returns of capital, which may be paid in the manager’s sole discretion. To the extent that the expenses of a BMO ETF exceed the income generated by such BMO ETF in any given month, quarter, or year, as the case may be, it is not expected that a monthly, quarterly, or annual distribution will be paid. Distributions, if any, in respect of the accumulating units of BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF, BMO Short Federal Bond Index ETF, BMO Short Provincial Bond Index ETF, BMO Ultra Short-Term Bond ETF and BMO Ultra Short-Term US Bond ETF will be automatically reinvested in additional accumulating units of the applicable BMO ETF. Following each distribution, the number of accumulating units of the applicable BMO ETF will be immediately consolidated so that the number of outstanding accumulating units of the applicable BMO ETF will be the same as the number of outstanding accumulating units before the distribution. Non-resident unitholders may have the number of securities reduced due to withholding tax. Certain BMO ETFs have adopted a distribution reinvestment plan, which provides that a unitholder may elect to automatically reinvest all cash distributions paid on units held by that unitholder in additional units of the applicable BMO ETF in accordance with the terms of the distribution reinvestment plan. For further information, see the distribution policy in the BMO ETFs’ prospectus.
Past Performance is not indicative of future results.
All investments involve risk. The value of an ETF can go down as well as up and you could lose money. The risk of an ETF is rated based on the volatility of the ETF’s returns using the standardized risk classification methodology mandated by the Canadian Securities Administrators. Historical volatility doesn’t tell you how volatile an ETF will be in the future. An ETF with a risk rating of “low” can still lose money. For more information about the risk rating and specific risks that can affect an ETF’s returns, see the BMO ETFs’ prospectus.
Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds. Please read the ETF Facts or prospectus of the BMO ETFs before investing. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in unit value and reinvestment of all dividends or distributions and do not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any unitholder that would have reduced returns. Exchange traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
For a summary of the risks of an investment in the BMO ETFs, please see the specific risks set out in the BMO ETF’s prospectus. BMO ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase the risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.
BMO ETFs are managed and administered by BMO Asset Management Inc., an investment fund manager and a portfolio manager, and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.
BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate.
“BMO (M-bar roundel symbol)” is a registered trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.