FAS vs. SPXS
FAS (Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares) and SPXS (Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - FAS is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Financial Services Index (300%), while SPXS is a Inverse Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Index (-300%). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FAS returned 18.78%/yr vs -42.14%/yr for SPXS. At a correlation of -0.83, they often move in opposite directions. FAS charges 1.00%/yr vs 1.08%/yr for SPXS.
Performance
FAS vs. SPXS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FAS achieves a -21.74% return, which is significantly higher than SPXS's -27.08% return. Over the past 10 years, FAS has outperformed SPXS with an annualized return of 18.78%, while SPXS has yielded a comparatively lower -42.14% annualized return.
FAS
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- -3.63%
- YTD
- -21.74%
- 6M
- -12.79%
- 1Y
- -8.69%
- 3Y*
- 35.72%
- 5Y*
- 3.84%
- 10Y*
- 18.78%
SPXS
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- -14.03%
- YTD
- -27.08%
- 6M
- -27.23%
- 1Y
- -50.67%
- 3Y*
- -43.09%
- 5Y*
- -35.40%
- 10Y*
- -42.14%
FAS vs. SPXS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAS Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares | -21.74% | 21.48% | 84.47% | 14.92% | -43.19% | 116.59% | -34.97% | 113.04% | -33.84% | 67.37% |
SPXS Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares | -27.08% | -41.53% | -42.84% | -45.97% | 36.14% | -58.11% | -70.47% | -56.40% | 3.44% | -44.52% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAS and SPXS is -0.62, 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 | -0.62 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.65 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.74 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.77 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 20, 2008 | -0.83 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between FAS and SPXS has weakened: their correlation has moved from -0.83 to -0.62, meaning they move in opposite directions less often than they have historically.
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Return for Risk
FAS vs. SPXS — Risk / Return Rank
FAS
SPXS
FAS vs. SPXS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) and Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares (SPXS). 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.
| FAS | SPXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.20 | -1.43 | +1.23 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.00 | -2.45 | +2.45 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 0.74 | +0.26 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.20 | -1.01 | +0.81 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.47 | -1.72 | +1.25 |
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
| FAS | SPXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.20 | -1.43 | +1.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | -0.71 | +0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 | -0.79 | +1.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.20 | -0.84 | +1.03 |
Drawdowns
FAS vs. SPXS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAS drawdown since its inception was -91.61%, smaller than the maximum SPXS drawdown of -100.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAS and SPXS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAS | SPXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.61% | -100.00% | +8.39% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -40.88% | -50.77% | +9.89% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -43.10% | -84.13% | +41.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -66.88% | -90.11% | +23.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -85.99% | -99.63% | +13.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -28.19% | -100.00% | +71.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -31.11% | -96.30% | +65.19% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 17.40% | 29.88% | -12.48% |
Volatility
FAS vs. SPXS - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) has a higher volatility of 9.05% compared to Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares (SPXS) at 8.20%. This indicates that FAS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPXS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAS | SPXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.05% | 8.20% | +0.85% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 32.42% | 26.76% | +5.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 42.62% | 35.48% | +7.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 55.46% | 50.38% | +5.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 61.30% | 53.55% | +7.75% |
FAS vs. SPXS - Expense Ratio Comparison
FAS has a 1.00% expense ratio, which is lower than SPXS's 1.08% expense ratio.
Dividends
FAS vs. SPXS - Dividend Comparison
FAS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.66%, more than SPXS's 5.02% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAS Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares | 10.66% | 8.21% | 0.76% | 1.77% | 0.91% | 0.60% | 0.47% | 0.62% | 1.43% | 0.11% |
SPXS Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares | 5.02% | 4.93% | 6.18% | 5.66% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.51% | 1.74% | 0.58% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FAS and SPXS 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.
FAS has higher volatility (9.05%) compared to SPXS (8.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAS dropped -91.61% vs SPXS's -100.00%.
On 10-year performance, FAS leads with 18.78% vs -42.14% for SPXS. On fees, FAS is cheaper at 1.00% per year. On volatility, SPXS has been the lower-risk option at 8.20%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, FAS has performed better with a 18.78% return vs -42.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FAS is cheaper with a 1.00% expense ratio, compared with 1.08% for SPXS.
FAS has the higher dividend yield at 10.66%, compared with 5.02% for SPXS.
FAS is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while SPXS is Inverse Equities. FAS tracks Russell 1000 Financial Services Index (300%), while SPXS tracks S&P 500 Index (-300%). Their fees differ too: 1.00% for FAS and 1.08% for SPXS.
FAS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.20 vs -1.43), 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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