DES2.L vs. XS2D.L

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

DES2.L (L&G DAX Daily 2x Short UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)) and XS2D.L (Xtrackers S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Swap UCITS ETF 1C) are both exchange-traded funds - DES2.L is a Inverse Equities fund tracking the ShortDAX x2 Index Gross TR EUR, while XS2D.L is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, DES2.L returned -23.50%/yr vs 22.84%/yr for XS2D.L. At a correlation of -0.71, they often move in opposite directions. Both charge a 0.60% expense ratio.

Performance

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in L&G DAX Daily 2x Short UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) (DES2.L) and Xtrackers S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Swap UCITS ETF 1C (XS2D.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

DES2.L is traded in EUR, while XS2D.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the XS2D.L values have been converted to EUR using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DES2.L achieves a -3.94% return, which is significantly lower than XS2D.L's 17.98% return. Over the past 10 years, DES2.L has underperformed XS2D.L with an annualized return of -23.50%, while XS2D.L has yielded a comparatively higher 22.84% annualized return.

DES2.L

• 1D: 0.49%
• 1M: 1.13%
• 6M: 0.91%
• YTD: -3.94%
• 1Y: -5.81%
• 3Y*: -24.09%
• 5Y*: -20.02%
• 10Y*: -23.50%

XS2D.L

• 1D: -2.35%
• 1M: -0.96%
• 6M: 14.64%
• YTD: 17.98%
• 1Y: 37.04%
• 3Y*: 31.33%
• 5Y*: 18.97%
• 10Y*: 22.84%

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

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DES2.L L&G DAX Daily 2x Short UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)	-3.94%	-36.17%	-25.21%	-28.29%	7.83%	-31.54%	-35.25%	-38.99%	36.09%	-28.43%
XS2D.L Xtrackers S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Swap UCITS ETF 1C	17.98%	11.56%	55.27%	44.41%	-35.31%	75.22%	10.99%	66.54%	-11.98%	25.86%

Correlation

The correlation between DES2.L and XS2D.L is -0.66, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.66
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.61
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.68
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 18, 2010	-0.71

The correlation between DES2.L and XS2D.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from -0.71 to -0.61 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

DES2.L

DES2.L Risk / Return Rank: 8
DES2.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
DES2.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
DES2.L Omega Ratio Rank: 8
DES2.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
DES2.L Martin Ratio Rank: 8

XS2D.L

XS2D.L Risk / Return Rank: 56
XS2D.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
XS2D.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
XS2D.L Omega Ratio Rank: 51
XS2D.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
XS2D.L Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for L&G DAX Daily 2x Short UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) (DES2.L) and Xtrackers S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Swap UCITS ETF 1C (XS2D.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.

	DES2.L	XS2D.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.18	1.54	-1.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.04	2.19	-2.22
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.00	1.27	-0.28
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.22	2.35	-2.58
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.47	8.70	-9.18

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DES2.L Sharpe Ratio is -0.18, which is lower than the XS2D.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.54. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DES2.L and XS2D.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

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DES2.L drawdown since its inception was -99.57%, which is greater than XS2D.L's maximum drawdown of -59.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DES2.L and XS2D.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	DES2.L	XS2D.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.57%	-59.01%	-40.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-25.84%	-15.66%	-10.18%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-66.96%	-37.90%	-29.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-78.04%	-38.36%	-39.68%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-93.45%	-59.01%	-34.44%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.54%	-2.63%	-96.91%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-87.79%	-8.73%	-79.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.24%	4.24%	+8.00%

Volatility

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Volatility Comparison

L&G DAX Daily 2x Short UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) (DES2.L) has a higher volatility of 9.36% compared to Xtrackers S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Swap UCITS ETF 1C (XS2D.L) at 5.93%. This indicates that DES2.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XS2D.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DES2.L	XS2D.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.36%	5.93%	+3.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	27.01%	18.05%	+8.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	32.05%	24.14%	+7.91%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	34.21%	31.00%	+3.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.12%	32.03%	+4.09%

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both DES2.L and XS2D.L have an expense ratio of 0.60%.

Dividends

DES2.L vs. XS2D.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither DES2.L nor XS2D.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DES2.L and XS2D.L in my portfolio?

DES2.L and XS2D.L have a correlation of -0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, DES2.L or XS2D.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.60% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, DES2.L or XS2D.L?

DES2.L and XS2D.L have the same expense ratio: 0.60% per year.

What is the main difference between DES2.L and XS2D.L?

DES2.L is categorized as Inverse Equities, while XS2D.L is Leveraged Equities. DES2.L tracks ShortDAX x2 Index Gross TR EUR, while XS2D.L tracks S&P 500 2x Leveraged Daily Index. They also come from different issuers: L&G and Xtrackers.