AQWA.L vs. HERG.L

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

AQWA.L (Global X Clean Water UCITS ETF USD Acc) and HERG.L (Global X Video Games & Esports UCITS ETF Dist GBP) are both exchange-traded funds - AQWA.L is a Water Equities fund tracking the Solactive Global Clean Water Industry v2 Index, while HERG.L is a Technology Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, AQWA.L returned 9.63%/yr vs 5.46%/yr for HERG.L. At a 0.48 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.50% expense ratio.

Performance

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X Clean Water UCITS ETF USD Acc (AQWA.L) and Global X Video Games & Esports UCITS ETF Dist GBP (HERG.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

AQWA.L is traded in USD, while HERG.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the HERG.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AQWA.L achieves a 1.75% return, which is significantly higher than HERG.L's -15.92% return.

AQWA.L

• 1D: -0.48%
• 1M: 1.43%
• 6M: -0.91%
• YTD: 1.75%
• 1Y: 2.14%
• 3Y*: 9.63%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HERG.L

• 1D: -0.47%
• 1M: 0.44%
• 6M: -19.30%
• YTD: -15.92%
• 1Y: -19.79%
• 3Y*: 5.46%
• 5Y*: -4.75%
• 10Y*: —

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

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
AQWA.L Global X Clean Water UCITS ETF USD Acc	1.75%	12.96%	5.98%	25.16%	-19.37%	1.47%
HERG.L Global X Video Games & Esports UCITS ETF Dist GBP	-15.92%	24.33%	18.50%	5.82%	-35.31%	2.13%

Correlation

The correlation between AQWA.L and HERG.L is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.24
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.41
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 7, 2021	0.48

Over the past year, the correlation between AQWA.L and HERG.L has dropped to 0.24 - well below their long-term average of 0.48, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

AQWA.L

AQWA.L Risk / Return Rank: 13
AQWA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
AQWA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
AQWA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 13
AQWA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
AQWA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 13

HERG.L

HERG.L Risk / Return Rank: 2
HERG.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
HERG.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
HERG.L Omega Ratio Rank: 2
HERG.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 3
HERG.L Martin Ratio Rank: 3

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.

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X Clean Water UCITS ETF USD Acc (AQWA.L) and Global X Video Games & Esports UCITS ETF Dist GBP (HERG.L). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AQWA.L	HERG.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.26	-1.02	+1.28
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.47	-1.37	+1.84
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	0.84	+0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.32	-0.63	+0.96
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.69	-1.18	+1.87

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AQWA.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.26, which is higher than the HERG.L Sharpe Ratio of -1.02. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AQWA.L and HERG.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AQWA.L drawdown since its inception was -28.61%, smaller than the maximum HERG.L drawdown of -55.80%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AQWA.L and HERG.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	AQWA.L	HERG.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.61%	-55.80%	+27.19%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.86%	-31.18%	+19.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.35%	-31.18%	+13.83%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-47.51%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.72%	-35.63%	+27.91%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.25%	-34.47%	+25.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.56%	16.73%	-11.17%

Volatility

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Global X Clean Water UCITS ETF USD Acc (AQWA.L) is 4.21%, while Global X Video Games & Esports UCITS ETF Dist GBP (HERG.L) has a volatility of 5.66%. This indicates that AQWA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HERG.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AQWA.L	HERG.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.21%	5.66%	-1.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.67%	15.96%	-4.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.91%	19.31%	-4.40%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.32%	22.34%	-5.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.32%	22.40%	-5.08%

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both AQWA.L and HERG.L have an expense ratio of 0.50%.

Dividends

AQWA.L vs. HERG.L - Dividend Comparison

AQWA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while HERG.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.00%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
AQWA.L Global X Clean Water UCITS ETF USD Acc	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
HERG.L Global X Video Games & Esports UCITS ETF Dist GBP	1.00%	0.60%	0.37%	0.26%	0.01%	0.07%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AQWA.L and HERG.L in my portfolio?

AQWA.L and HERG.L have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, AQWA.L or HERG.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.50% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, AQWA.L or HERG.L?

AQWA.L and HERG.L have the same expense ratio: 0.50% per year.

What is the main difference between AQWA.L and HERG.L?

AQWA.L is categorized as Water Equities, while HERG.L is Technology Equities. AQWA.L tracks Solactive Global Clean Water Industry v2 Index, while HERG.L tracks MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD.