CSPX Review 2026 — S&P 500 ETF on Revolut (TER 0.07%, vs VUAA)
CSPX in 2026: iShares Core S&P 500 — 0.07% TER, accumulating, +93% in 5y. How to buy on Revolut (step-by-step), CSPX vs VUAA vs VOO, Polish tax, fractional shares.
12 min czytaniaCSPX Review — S&P 500 ETF on Revolut (2026 Guide)
If you're investing through Revolut and want exposure to the S&P 500, CSPX (iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF) is likely the first ticker you'll encounter. It's one of the largest, most liquid, and cheapest S&P 500 ETFs available to European investors — and it's fully accessible on Revolut's trading platform.
In this review, we'll break down everything you need to know about CSPX: what it holds, how much it costs, how it has performed, and how it compares to alternatives like VOO and VUAA. We'll also walk you through the exact steps to buy CSPX on Revolut.
What Is CSPX?
CSPX is the ticker for the iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc), managed by BlackRock — the world's largest asset manager. It tracks the S&P 500 index, which includes the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the United States.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD (Acc) |
| ISIN | IE00B5BMR087 |
| Ticker | CSPX (London Stock Exchange) |
| Index tracked | S&P 500 |
| TER (Total Expense Ratio) | 0.07% per year |
| Dividend policy | Accumulating (reinvested automatically) |
| Fund size (AUM) | ~$95 billion (as of Q1 2026) |
| Domicile | Ireland |
| Base currency | USD |
| Replication | Physical (full replication) |
| Launch date | May 2010 |
Why Ireland Matters
CSPX is domiciled in Ireland, which is important for tax efficiency. Ireland has a tax treaty with the US that reduces withholding tax on dividends from 30% to 15%. Since CSPX is accumulating, those dividends are reinvested after the 15% withholding — you never see them, but you benefit from compounding.
For US-domiciled ETFs like VOO, European investors face a 30% withholding tax with no easy way to reclaim it. This makes Ireland-domiciled ETFs structurally superior for non-US investors.
CSPX Performance
The S&P 500 has been one of the best-performing major indices over the past decades. CSPX, as a physical replication fund, closely mirrors this performance minus the tiny 0.07% fee.
Historical Returns (as of March 2026)
| Period | CSPX Return (USD) | S&P 500 Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | +9.8% | +10.1% |
| 3 years (annualized) | +10.2% | +10.5% |
| 5 years (annualized) | +14.6% | +14.9% |
| 10 years (annualized) | +12.3% | +12.6% |
| Since inception (2010) | +14.1% | +14.4% |
The small gap between CSPX and the index represents the TER plus tracking difference. At 0.07%, CSPX is one of the tightest trackers available.
Top 10 Holdings (Q1 2026)
- Apple (AAPL) — ~7.1%
- Microsoft (MSFT) — ~6.8%
- NVIDIA (NVDA) — ~6.2%
- Amazon (AMZN) — ~3.9%
- Alphabet (GOOGL + GOOG) — ~3.8%
- Meta Platforms (META) — ~2.7%
- Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) — ~1.8%
- Broadcom (AVGO) — ~1.7%
- Tesla (TSLA) — ~1.5%
- JPMorgan Chase (JPM) — ~1.4%
The top 10 holdings represent roughly 37% of the fund, reflecting the current concentration in mega-cap tech stocks.
How to Buy CSPX on Revolut — Step by Step
Revolut makes buying ETFs straightforward, even for beginners. Here's how:
Step 1: Upgrade Your Revolut Plan (If Needed)
Revolut offers stock and ETF trading on all plans, but the number of free trades varies:
- Standard (free): 1 free trade per month, then £1/$1/€1 per trade
- Plus/Premium: 3 free trades per month
- Metal/Ultra: 5+ free trades per month
For occasional DCA (dollar-cost averaging) into CSPX, even the free plan works fine.
Step 2: Enable the Investing Feature
- Open the Revolut app
- Tap the Invest tab at the bottom
- Complete the suitability questionnaire (required by regulation)
- Verify your identity if not already done
Step 3: Find CSPX
- In the Invest tab, tap the Search icon
- Type "CSPX" or "iShares Core S&P 500"
- Select CSPX — look for the LSE (London Stock Exchange) listing
Step 4: Place Your Order
- Tap Buy
- Choose your amount — Revolut supports fractional shares, so you can invest any amount (even €10)
- Select Market order (executes immediately) or Limit order (executes at your chosen price)
- Review and confirm
Step 5: Set Up Recurring Investment (Optional)
Revolut supports automatic recurring investments — perfect for DCA:
- On the CSPX page, look for "Recurring buy"
- Set your amount and frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
- This automates your S&P 500 investing with zero effort
Trading Hours
CSPX trades on the London Stock Exchange, so it's available during LSE hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00–16:30 GMT. Revolut may allow you to place orders outside these hours, which will execute when the market opens.
CSPX vs VOO vs VUAA — Full Comparison
This is the question every European investor asks. Here's how the three most popular S&P 500 ETFs stack up:
| Feature | CSPX | VOO | VUAA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | BlackRock (iShares) | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Index | S&P 500 | S&P 500 | S&P 500 |
| TER | 0.07% | 0.03% | 0.07% |
| Domicile | Ireland | USA | Ireland |
| Dividend policy | Accumulating | Distributing | Accumulating |
| Currency | USD | USD | USD |
| Available on Revolut | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (US ETF, blocked by MiFID II) | ✅ Yes |
| Available on XTB | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| US dividend withholding | 15% (Ireland treaty) | 0% (US domicile) | 15% (Ireland treaty) |
| EU investor tax efficiency | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ (30% WHT for EU) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Fund size | ~$95B | ~$450B | ~$40B |
| Liquidity | Very high | Extremely high | High |
The Verdict for European Investors
VOO is off the table. Since MiFID II regulations (2018), European retail investors cannot directly buy US-domiciled ETFs. VOO is only accessible through options or professional investor accounts.
CSPX vs VUAA is the real comparison. Both are:
- Ireland-domiciled (same tax treatment)
- Accumulating (same compounding benefit)
- Tracking the same index (S&P 500)
- Charging the same TER (0.07%)
The practical differences:
- CSPX has a higher share price (
$570) vs VUAA ($105), but with fractional shares on Revolut this barely matters - CSPX has larger AUM ($95B vs $40B), meaning marginally better liquidity
- VUAA is listed on more European exchanges (Xetra, Borsa Italiana, etc.)
Bottom line: For Revolut investors, either works perfectly. CSPX is the more "established" choice with deeper liquidity, while VUAA offers a lower entry point for brokers without fractional shares.
Costs Beyond TER
The 0.07% TER isn't the whole picture. Here are the real costs of holding CSPX on Revolut:
Revolut Trading Fees
- Per-trade commission: €0–€1 depending on your plan
- FX fee: If your account is in EUR and you're buying a USD-denominated ETF, Revolut charges 0.25% FX markup (or less on premium plans)
- Custody fee: None — Revolut doesn't charge for holding
Spread
The bid-ask spread on CSPX is typically very tight (0.01–0.03%) due to its massive liquidity. You'll barely notice it.
Tax Implications
- Capital gains tax: Varies by country (19% in Poland, varies elsewhere in EU)
- No dividend tax event: Since CSPX is accumulating, you won't receive dividends — so no annual dividend tax to worry about
Who Should Buy CSPX?
CSPX is ideal if you:
- ✅ Want broad US stock market exposure
- ✅ Believe in long-term US economic growth
- ✅ Prefer accumulating funds (no dividend hassle)
- ✅ Want low fees and high liquidity
- ✅ Are investing through a European broker like Revolut
CSPX may not be ideal if you:
- ❌ Want global diversification (consider VWCE instead)
- ❌ Need dividend income (consider distributing ETFs)
- ❌ Are concerned about US market concentration
Tracking Your CSPX Investment with Freenance
Once you've bought CSPX on Revolut, you'll want to track how it fits into your overall financial picture. Freenance connects directly to Revolut and automatically imports your CSPX holdings. You can see:
- How your S&P 500 position contributes to your total net worth
- Your portfolio allocation across brokers and asset classes
- Your Financial Freedom Runway — how long you could live without working based on all your assets, including CSPX
If you use multiple brokers (e.g., Revolut for ETFs, XTB for Polish stocks), Freenance aggregates everything in one dashboard.
Conclusion
CSPX remains the gold standard S&P 500 ETF for European investors in 2026. With a rock-bottom 0.07% TER, massive liquidity, tax-efficient Irish domicile, and easy availability on Revolut, it's hard to go wrong.
Whether you're starting with €50/month or investing thousands, CSPX on Revolut gives you access to America's 500 largest companies with minimal friction. Pair it with a global ETF like VWCE for diversification, set up recurring buys, and let compounding do the heavy lifting.
Key takeaway: For most European investors on Revolut, CSPX is the simplest, cheapest way to invest in the S&P 500. Start small, stay consistent, and track everything with tools like Freenance to see the bigger picture.
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