FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

FDNU.L (First Trust Dow Jones Internet UCITS ETF Class A USD) and SHLD.L (iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD (Dist)) are both Technology Equities funds - FDNU.L tracks the MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD while SHLD.L tracks the STOXX Global Digital Security Open Net Index in USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FDNU.L returned 2.16%/yr vs 9.10%/yr for SHLD.L. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FDNU.L charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for SHLD.L.

Performance

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Dow Jones Internet UCITS ETF Class A USD (FDNU.L) and iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (SHLD.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FDNU.L achieves a -0.99% return, which is significantly lower than SHLD.L's 16.56% return.

FDNU.L

• 1D: -2.45%
• 1M: 0.30%
• 6M: 1.73%
• YTD: -0.99%
• 1Y: 0.19%
• 3Y*: 15.75%
• 5Y*: 2.16%
• 10Y*: —

SHLD.L

• 1D: -0.54%
• 1M: 3.39%
• 6M: 16.67%
• YTD: 16.56%
• 1Y: 21.82%
• 3Y*: 19.12%
• 5Y*: 9.10%
• 10Y*: —

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

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
FDNU.L First Trust Dow Jones Internet UCITS ETF Class A USD	-0.99%	9.74%	30.54%	54.48%	-46.64%	7.05%	53.99%	17.77%	-1.75%
SHLD.L iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	16.56%	11.51%	16.55%	33.91%	-29.11%	16.50%	27.22%	28.27%	-1.78%

Correlation

The correlation between FDNU.L and SHLD.L 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	0.83
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2018	0.84

The correlation between FDNU.L and SHLD.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

FDNU.L

FDNU.L Risk / Return Rank: 10
FDNU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
FDNU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
FDNU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 10
FDNU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
FDNU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 10

SHLD.L

SHLD.L Risk / Return Rank: 39
SHLD.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
SHLD.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
SHLD.L Omega Ratio Rank: 35
SHLD.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
SHLD.L Martin Ratio Rank: 36

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.

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Dow Jones Internet UCITS ETF Class A USD (FDNU.L) and iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (SHLD.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.

	FDNU.L	SHLD.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.01	1.01	-1.00
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.16	1.53	-1.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	1.18	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.01	1.91	-1.90
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.02	4.12	-4.10

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FDNU.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.01, which is lower than the SHLD.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FDNU.L and SHLD.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

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FDNU.L drawdown since its inception was -54.01%, which is greater than SHLD.L's maximum drawdown of -36.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDNU.L and SHLD.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	FDNU.L	SHLD.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.01%	-36.07%	-17.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-20.59%	-11.40%	-9.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.77%	-22.72%	-3.05%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-54.01%	-36.07%	-17.94%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.24%	-5.36%	-1.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.11%	-9.27%	-6.84%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.68%	5.28%	+3.40%

Volatility

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Dow Jones Internet UCITS ETF Class A USD (FDNU.L) has a higher volatility of 7.53% compared to iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (SHLD.L) at 6.81%. This indicates that FDNU.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SHLD.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FDNU.L	SHLD.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.53%	6.81%	+0.72%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.35%	18.09%	-0.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.87%	21.64%	-0.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.33%	21.39%	+4.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.04%	21.22%	+4.82%

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

FDNU.L has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than SHLD.L's 0.40% expense ratio.

Dividends

FDNU.L vs. SHLD.L - Dividend Comparison

FDNU.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SHLD.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.35%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
FDNU.L First Trust Dow Jones Internet UCITS ETF Class A USD	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SHLD.L iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	0.35%	0.39%	0.48%	0.43%	0.63%	0.66%	0.84%	1.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FDNU.L and SHLD.L in my portfolio?

FDNU.L and SHLD.L 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.

Which ETF is better, FDNU.L or SHLD.L?

On fees, SHLD.L is cheaper at 0.40% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FDNU.L or SHLD.L?

SHLD.L is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for FDNU.L.

What is the main difference between FDNU.L and SHLD.L?

FDNU.L tracks MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD, while SHLD.L tracks STOXX Global Digital Security Open Net Index in USD. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for FDNU.L and 0.40% for SHLD.L.