CTA vs. HARD

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) and Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD).

CTA and HARD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. CTA is an actively managed fund by Simplify. It was launched on Mar 7, 2022. HARD is an actively managed fund by Simplify. It was launched on Mar 27, 2023.

Performance

CTA vs. HARD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) and Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

CTA vs. HARD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF	12.39%	0.88%	24.15%	8.25%
HARD Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF	20.41%	12.19%	20.48%	-5.04%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CTA achieves a 12.39% return, which is significantly lower than HARD's 20.41% return.

CTA

• 1D: -1.31%
• 1M: 0.45%
• YTD: 12.39%
• 6M: 10.76%
• 1Y: 6.40%
• 3Y*: 15.19%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HARD

• 1D: -1.39%
• 1M: 8.55%
• YTD: 20.41%
• 6M: 18.31%
• 1Y: 17.15%
• 3Y*: 15.77%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

CTA vs. HARD - Expense Ratio Comparison

CTA has a 0.78% expense ratio, which is higher than HARD's 0.75% expense ratio.

CTA

Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF

HARD

Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF

Return for Risk

CTA vs. HARD — Risk / Return Rank

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

CTA

CTA Risk / Return Rank: 25
CTA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 25
CTA Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
CTA Omega Ratio Rank: 23
CTA Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
CTA Martin Ratio Rank: 21

HARD

HARD Risk / Return Rank: 40
HARD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
HARD Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
HARD Omega Ratio Rank: 36
HARD Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
HARD Martin Ratio Rank: 31

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.

CTA vs. HARD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) and Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD). 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.

	CTA	HARD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.40	0.72	-0.32
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.63	1.04	-0.41
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.14	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.66	1.34	-0.69
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.14	2.53	-1.39
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CTA vs. HARD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CTA Sharpe Ratio is 0.40, which is lower than the HARD Sharpe Ratio of 0.72. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CTA and HARD, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CTA	HARD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40	0.72	-0.32
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.69	0.90	-0.21

Correlation

The correlation between CTA and HARD is 0.67, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

CTA vs. HARD - Dividend Comparison

CTA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.81%, more than HARD's 2.49% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF	3.81%	3.19%	4.80%	7.78%	6.58%
HARD Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF	2.49%	2.36%	3.51%	1.95%	0.00%

Drawdowns

CTA vs. HARD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CTA drawdown since its inception was -18.07%, which is greater than HARD's maximum drawdown of -13.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CTA and HARD.

Drawdown Indicators

	CTA	HARD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.07%	-13.51%	-4.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.68%	-13.51%	+2.83%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.47%	-1.39%	-0.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.74%	-5.44%	-0.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.16%	7.17%	-1.01%

Volatility

CTA vs. HARD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) is 8.10%, while Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD) has a volatility of 11.53%. This indicates that CTA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HARD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CTA	HARD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.10%	11.53%	-3.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.72%	17.94%	-5.22%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.05%	23.78%	-7.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.58%	17.48%	-1.90%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.58%	17.48%	-1.90%