What Is AGG? iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
AGG is iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, an ETF that tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index at a 0.03% expense ratio. Tracks the Bloomberg US Aggregate, the standard investment-grade bond benchmark spanning Treasuries, agency mortgage-backed, and corporate bonds. Functionally very similar to BND at the same 0.03% fee; the choice is iShares versus Vanguard as an ecosystem.
AGG is issued by iShares and tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. It charges a 0.03% expense ratio, holds approximately ~$136.5 billion in assets under management, yields about ~3.96%, and launched in September 2003.
What is AGG?
AGG is iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, an ETF that tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index at a 0.03% expense ratio. Tracks the Bloomberg US Aggregate, the standard investment-grade bond benchmark spanning Treasuries, agency mortgage-backed, and corporate bonds. Functionally very similar to BND at the same 0.03% fee; the choice is iShares versus Vanguard as an ecosystem.
AGG is issued by iShares and tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, so a single ticker gives you the whole portfolio of underlying holdings weighted by the index's methodology rather than by any active stock-picking.
What does AGG hold?
AGG does not hold a basket of individual stocks. It gets its exposure synthetically, through derivatives such as swaps and futures rather than by owning the underlying shares, so there is no conventional top-10 equity holdings list. See the description above for what AGG actually tracks and how that exposure is built.
How do I invest in AGG?
There are three common ways to get AGG exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) of AGG directly at any major broker that lists it. Hold it as a core position and layer more concentrated ideas on top. Or build it into a thematic portfolio in Walnut, so AGG sits alongside other holdings that express the same thesis, with target weights you can rebalance toward. AGG trades like a stock during market hours, so you buy it the same way you would any listed share.
New to buying funds? See how to buy an ETF, step by step.
Is AGG a good buy?
Whether AGG is a good buy depends less on any single call and more on your time horizon and what you already hold: it tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, so the real question is whether you want that exposure in your mix and at what weight. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is AGG a buy?
The bottom line on AGG
AGG gives you Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index exposure in one ticker at a 0.03% expense ratio. Most investors use it as a core holding and layer more concentrated thematic portfolios on top.
More on AGG
Whether AGG is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is AGG a buy?
AGG yields ~3.96% as of mid-2026, paid by passing through the dividends of its underlying holdings. For the payout schedule, history, and how the distributions are taxed, see AGG dividend: yield and schedule.
AGG and BND both track the total US investment-grade bond market with very similar holdings and the same 0.03% fee, so their returns track closely. The choice is really iShares (BlackRock) versus Vanguard; either works as a one-fund core bond allocation. Read the full side-by-side in AGG vs BND.
New to funds like AGG? Start with what an ETF is, then how to buy an ETF, or browse the full guide to ETF investing.
Wondering how AGG fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in AGG with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how AGG fits what you actually hold: what it overlaps with, what it leaves you exposed to, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is AGG's ticker symbol?
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AGG, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF. Issued by iShares; tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. Trades during US market hours, available at every major US brokerage.
What is AGG's expense ratio?
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0.03% as of mid-2026.
What are AGG's top holdings?
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Top holdings as of mid-2026: and others. See the full holdings table above.
How can I invest in AGG through Walnut?
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Walnut isn't a broker. Connect a brokerage and Walnut sits on top to help you build and track thematic portfolios. AGG can be a constituent alongside individual stocks.
How do I compare AGG to similar ETFs?
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Put a few fields side by side: the expense ratio (fees compound over decades), the index or strategy it tracks, the top holdings and how much they overlap with what you already own, the dividend yield, and the AUM, liquidity, and bid-ask spread that affect trading costs. For index funds, tracking error (how closely it follows its index) and tax efficiency matter too. AGG's figures are above; the full method is in Walnut's guide on how to compare ETFs.
Guides that feature AGG
AGG is one of the names covered in these guides. Each one puts the fund next to its peers so you can see where it fits rather than judging it alone.
Related ETFs
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Holdings weights and fund statistics on this page are approximations stamped to mid-2026; verify current figures against iShares's fund page or your broker before investing.