DUST vs. ZSL
DUST (Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares) and ZSL (ProShares UltraShort Silver) are both exchange-traded funds - DUST is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (-300%), while ZSL is a Silver fund tracking the Bloomberg Silver Subindex (-2x). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, DUST returned -53.65%/yr vs -43.74%/yr for ZSL. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. DUST charges 1.07%/yr vs 1.32%/yr for ZSL.
Performance
DUST vs. ZSL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DUST achieves a -26.71% return, which is significantly higher than ZSL's -59.81% return. Over the past 10 years, DUST has underperformed ZSL with an annualized return of -53.65%, while ZSL has yielded a comparatively higher -43.74% annualized return.
DUST
- 1D
- 6.82%
- 1M
- -4.38%
- YTD
- -26.71%
- 6M
- -36.80%
- 1Y
- -76.81%
- 3Y*
- -62.09%
- 5Y*
- -47.20%
- 10Y*
- -53.65%
ZSL
- 1D
- 5.33%
- 1M
- -6.86%
- YTD
- -59.81%
- 6M
- -75.78%
- 1Y
- -92.31%
- 3Y*
- -69.67%
- 5Y*
- -51.93%
- 10Y*
- -43.74%
DUST vs. ZSL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares | -26.71% | -88.72% | -29.51% | -27.63% | -22.70% | -4.82% | -85.75% | -75.11% | -3.27% | -51.00% |
ZSL ProShares UltraShort Silver | -59.81% | -87.29% | -42.43% | -5.49% | -28.09% | -2.04% | -74.44% | -27.76% | 18.15% | -18.99% |
Correlation
The correlation between DUST and ZSL is 0.76, 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 | 0.76 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.76 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 9, 2010 | 0.71 |
The correlation between DUST and ZSL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.71 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
DUST vs. ZSL — Risk / Return Rank
DUST
ZSL
DUST vs. ZSL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares (DUST) and ProShares UltraShort Silver (ZSL). 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.
| DUST | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.65 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.82 | 0.74 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.89 | -0.98 | +0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.22 | -1.35 | +0.13 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| DUST | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.85 | -0.77 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.66 | -0.70 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.62 | -0.67 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.50 | -0.67 | +0.16 |
Drawdowns
DUST vs. ZSL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DUST drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, roughly equal to the maximum ZSL drawdown of -100.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DUST and ZSL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DUST | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -100.00% | 0.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -86.15% | -94.55% | +8.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -97.55% | -98.40% | +0.85% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -98.68% | -99.06% | +0.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.98% | -99.82% | -0.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -100.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -83.35% | -96.39% | +13.04% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 62.85% | 68.23% | -5.38% |
Volatility
DUST vs. ZSL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares (DUST) is 30.34%, while ProShares UltraShort Silver (ZSL) has a volatility of 32.31%. This indicates that DUST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZSL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DUST | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 30.34% | 32.31% | -1.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 72.12% | 105.86% | -33.74% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 90.34% | 119.48% | -29.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 72.13% | 74.07% | -1.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 87.19% | 65.20% | +21.99% |
DUST vs. ZSL - Expense Ratio Comparison
DUST has a 1.07% expense ratio, which is lower than ZSL's 1.32% expense ratio.
Dividends
DUST vs. ZSL - Dividend Comparison
DUST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.90%, while ZSL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares | 8.90% | 12.51% | 4.99% | 4.47% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3.60% | 2.50% | 0.37% |
ZSL ProShares UltraShort Silver | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DUST and ZSL have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ZSL has higher volatility (32.31%) compared to DUST (30.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DUST dropped -100.00% vs ZSL's -100.00%.
On 10-year performance, ZSL leads with -43.74% vs -53.65% for DUST. On fees, DUST is cheaper at 1.07% per year. On volatility, DUST has been the lower-risk option at 30.34%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, ZSL has performed better with a -43.74% return vs -53.65%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DUST is cheaper with a 1.07% expense ratio, compared with 1.32% for ZSL.
DUST has the higher dividend yield at 8.90%, compared with 0.00% for ZSL.
DUST is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while ZSL is Silver. DUST tracks NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (-300%), while ZSL tracks Bloomberg Silver Subindex (-2x). They also come from different issuers: Direxion and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 1.07% for DUST and 1.32% for ZSL.
ZSL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.77 vs -0.85), 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.
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