ALTY vs. XYLD

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ALTY (Global X Alternative Income ETF) and XYLD (Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ALTY is a Global Allocation fund tracking the Indxx SuperDividend Alternatives Index, while XYLD is a Derivative Income fund tracking the Cboe S&P 500 BuyWrite Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ALTY returned 6.16%/yr vs 8.25%/yr for XYLD. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ALTY charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for XYLD.

Performance

ALTY vs. XYLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X Alternative Income ETF (ALTY) and Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ALTY achieves a 6.19% return, which is significantly higher than XYLD's 4.96% return. Over the past 10 years, ALTY has underperformed XYLD with an annualized return of 6.16%, while XYLD has yielded a comparatively higher 8.25% annualized return.

ALTY

• 1D: -0.33%
• 1M: 0.31%
• YTD: 6.19%
• 6M: 6.51%
• 1Y: 15.73%
• 3Y*: 11.40%
• 5Y*: 5.55%
• 10Y*: 6.16%

XYLD

• 1D: -0.15%
• 1M: 2.00%
• YTD: 4.96%
• 6M: 6.48%
• 1Y: 17.66%
• 3Y*: 11.27%
• 5Y*: 7.72%
• 10Y*: 8.25%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

ALTY vs. XYLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ALTY Global X Alternative Income ETF	6.19%	11.07%	10.88%	10.58%	-11.92%	23.08%	-12.82%	21.44%	-6.18%	10.82%
XYLD Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF	4.96%	8.02%	19.49%	11.10%	-12.05%	19.59%	-0.56%	21.41%	-6.09%	16.49%

Correlation

The correlation between ALTY and XYLD is 0.62, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.63
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.55
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 15, 2015	0.51

The correlation between ALTY and XYLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.51 (all time) to 0.63 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ALTY vs. XYLD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ALTY	XYLD
Real Estate	33.2%	1.9%
Energy	21.0%	3.5%
Technology	18.3%	35.6%
Utilities	12.7%	2.3%
Communication Services	5.3%	11.2%
Consumer Cyclical	4.1%	10.2%
Consumer Defensive	2.6%	4.9%
Healthcare	1.4%	8.5%
Industrials	1.0%	8.3%
Basic Materials	0.4%	1.8%
Financial Services	0.1%	11.8%

Return for Risk

ALTY vs. XYLD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ALTY

ALTY Risk / Return Rank: 82
ALTY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
ALTY Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
ALTY Omega Ratio Rank: 86
ALTY Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
ALTY Martin Ratio Rank: 82

XYLD

XYLD Risk / Return Rank: 82
XYLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
XYLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
XYLD Omega Ratio Rank: 92
XYLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
XYLD Martin Ratio Rank: 85

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

ALTY vs. XYLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X Alternative Income ETF (ALTY) and Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	ALTY	XYLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.73	2.71	+0.02
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.82	3.87	-0.05
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.54	1.64	-0.11
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.64	3.35	+0.29
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	16.84	17.84	-1.01
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ALTY vs. XYLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ALTY Sharpe Ratio is 2.73, which is comparable to the XYLD Sharpe Ratio of 2.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ALTY and XYLD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ALTY	XYLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.73	2.71	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53	0.69	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.37	0.58	-0.21
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.33	0.60	-0.27

Drawdowns

ALTY vs. XYLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ALTY drawdown since its inception was -51.47%, which is greater than XYLD's maximum drawdown of -33.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ALTY and XYLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	ALTY	XYLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.47%	-33.46%	-18.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.34%	-5.29%	+0.95%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.08%	-15.53%	+5.45%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.48%	-18.66%	+0.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.47%	-33.46%	-18.01%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.37%	-0.15%	-0.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.75%	-3.72%	-3.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.94%	0.99%	-0.05%

Volatility

ALTY vs. XYLD - Volatility Comparison

Global X Alternative Income ETF (ALTY) has a higher volatility of 1.41% compared to Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD) at 0.88%. This indicates that ALTY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XYLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ALTY	XYLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.41%	0.88%	+0.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.38%	5.37%	-0.99%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.79%	6.55%	-0.76%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.61%	11.22%	-0.61%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.58%	14.21%	+2.37%

ALTY vs. XYLD - Expense Ratio Comparison

ALTY has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than XYLD's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

ALTY vs. XYLD - Dividend Comparison

ALTY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.08%, less than XYLD's 10.52% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ALTY Global X Alternative Income ETF	8.08%	7.50%	7.88%	7.31%	7.66%	6.88%	9.20%	8.74%	8.49%	7.52%	8.20%	4.21%
XYLD Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF	10.52%	10.51%	11.54%	10.51%	13.43%	9.07%	7.93%	5.76%	7.12%	5.18%	3.23%	4.65%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ALTY and XYLD in my portfolio?

ALTY and XYLD have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ALTY or XYLD?

ALTY has higher volatility (1.41%) compared to XYLD (0.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ALTY dropped -51.47% vs XYLD's -33.46%.

Which ETF is better, ALTY or XYLD?

On 10-year performance, XYLD leads with 8.25% vs 6.16% for ALTY. On fees, ALTY is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, XYLD has been the lower-risk option at 0.88%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ALTY or XYLD?

Over the 10-year period, XYLD has performed better with a 8.25% return vs 6.16%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ALTY or XYLD?

ALTY is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for XYLD.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ALTY or XYLD?

XYLD has the higher dividend yield at 10.52%, compared with 8.08% for ALTY.

What is the main difference between ALTY and XYLD?

ALTY is categorized as Global Allocation, while XYLD is Derivative Income. ALTY tracks Indxx SuperDividend Alternatives Index, while XYLD tracks Cboe S&P 500 BuyWrite Index. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for ALTY and 0.60% for XYLD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ALTY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.73 vs 2.71), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.