Fixed income
BNDS
Betashares Western Asset Australian Bond Active ETF · Betashares
A broad, actively managed mix of Australian bonds — government, state-government and corporate debt, plus other fixed-income securities — chosen by a manager rather than tracking an index. It holds bonds, not company shares.
What the fee costs you
The management fee is 0.42% a year. Here’s what that works out to in dollars:
A 0.42% yearly fee works out to about $42 a year per $10,000 invested.
A rough guide based on the headline fee only. Other costs (such as brokerage or buy/sell spreads) aren’t included.
The basics
- Issuer
- Betashares
- Asset class
- Fixed income
- Number of holdings
- ~519
- Where it invests
- Primarily Australia.
- Income paid
- Monthly
- Currency hedged
- N/A — It holds Australian-dollar bonds, so there's no foreign-currency exposure to hedge.
Its character
Unlike most bond funds here, a manager (Western Asset, part of Franklin Templeton) actively chooses what it holds, aiming to beat the broad Australian bond market over rolling three-year periods rather than match it. That active approach is why its fee is higher than an index tracker's. It's a defensive, core fixed-income holding built for income and stability rather than growth, spread across a range of maturities.
What to keep in mind
Typically moves far less than a share fund, but it isn't risk-free: its main risks are interest rates and credit, not the share market. When rates rise, existing bond prices typically fall, and there's some credit risk from the corporate portion. Because it's actively managed, its returns also depend on the manager's decisions, which can add or subtract value versus the broad bond market.
Income
Income is paid as interest (not franked dividends), passed on as monthly distributions.
Figures last verified 2026-06-22against the issuer’s factsheet and PDS.