If you're interested in broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, look no further than the IQ Chaikin U.S. Small Cap ETF (CSML), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 05/16/2017.The fund is sponsored by New York Life Investments. It has amassed assets over $207.94 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.Why Small Cap BlendThere's a lot of potential to investing in small cap companies, but with market capitalization below $2 billion, that high potential comes with even higher risk.Blend ETFs usually hold a mix of growth and value stocks as well as stocks that exhibit both value and growth characteristics.CostsCost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.35%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsIt is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Financials sector--about 20.50% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.Looking at individual holdings, Us Silica Holdings Inc (SLCA) accounts for about 0.79% of total assets, followed by Sleep Number Corp (SNBR) and Calix Inc (CALX).The top 10 holdings account for about 6.31% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskCSML seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ Chaikin Power US Small Cap Index before fees and expenses. The NASDAQ Chaikin Power US Small Cap Index is a rules-based, quantitative index designed to enhance the NASDAQ US 1500 Index, by selecting stocks with the highest Chaikin Power Gauge rating.The ETF has added about 22.56% so far this year and is up roughly 96.53% in the last one year (as of 04/26/2021). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $18.11 and $36.36.The ETF has a beta of 1.40 and standard deviation of 30.63% for the trailing three-year period. With about 482 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesIQ Chaikin U.S. Small Cap ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, CSML is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.The iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF (IJR) and the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) track a similar index. While iShares Core S&P SmallCap ETF has $69.22 billion in assets, iShares Russell 2000 ETF has $69.66 billion. IJR has an expense ratio of 0.06% and IWM charges 0.19%.Bottom-LineRetail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report IQ-CHKN US SC (CSML): ETF Research Reports Calix, Inc (CALX): Free Stock Analysis Report U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. (SLCA): Free Stock Analysis Report ISHARS-R 2000 (IWM): ETF Research Reports ISHARS-SP SC600 (IJR): ETF Research Reports Sleep Number Corporation (SNBR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research