FXY vs. IEF
FXY (Invesco CurrencyShares® Japanese Yen Trust) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FXY is a Currency fund tracking the Japanese Yen, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FXY returned -4.47%/yr vs 0.66%/yr for IEF. A 0.52 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FXY charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
FXY vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FXY achieves a -2.11% return, which is significantly lower than IEF's -0.40% return. Over the past 10 years, FXY has underperformed IEF with an annualized return of -4.47%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively higher 0.66% annualized return.
FXY
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -1.73%
- YTD
- -2.11%
- 6M
- -2.69%
- 1Y
- -11.07%
- 3Y*
- -4.76%
- 5Y*
- -7.63%
- 10Y*
- -4.47%
IEF
- 1D
- 0.07%
- 1M
- -0.19%
- YTD
- -0.40%
- 6M
- -0.71%
- 1Y
- 4.23%
- 3Y*
- 2.56%
- 5Y*
- -0.98%
- 10Y*
- 0.66%
FXY vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXY Invesco CurrencyShares® Japanese Yen Trust | -2.11% | 0.09% | -10.93% | -7.44% | -12.75% | -10.90% | 4.61% | 0.37% | 2.31% | 3.17% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.40% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between FXY and IEF is 0.51, 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 | 0.51 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 14, 2007 | 0.52 |
The correlation between FXY and IEF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.48 to 0.54 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
FXY vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
FXY
IEF
FXY vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco CurrencyShares® Japanese Yen Trust (FXY) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| FXY | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.33 | 0.89 | -2.22 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.96 | 1.34 | -3.30 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.79 | 1.15 | -0.36 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.91 | 0.95 | -1.86 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.35 | 2.86 | -4.21 |
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
| FXY | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -1.33 | 0.89 | -2.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.75 | -0.13 | -0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.48 | 0.10 | -0.58 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.18 | 0.50 | -0.69 |
Drawdowns
FXY vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FXY drawdown since its inception was -56.03%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FXY and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FXY | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -56.03% | -23.93% | -32.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.16% | -4.07% | -7.09% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.12% | -7.74% | -7.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.72% | -21.40% | -12.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.84% | -23.93% | -16.91% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -55.85% | -11.12% | -44.73% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.73% | -5.34% | -22.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.64% | 1.36% | +6.28% |
Volatility
FXY vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Invesco CurrencyShares® Japanese Yen Trust (FXY) is 1.19%, while iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) has a volatility of 1.57%. This indicates that FXY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FXY | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.19% | 1.57% | -0.38% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.77% | 3.37% | +2.40% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.43% | 4.79% | +3.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.25% | 7.71% | +2.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 9.33% | 6.62% | +2.71% |
FXY vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
FXY has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than IEF's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
FXY vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
FXY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.89%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXY Invesco CurrencyShares® Japanese Yen Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.89% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FXY and IEF have a correlation of 0.51, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IEF has higher volatility (1.57%) compared to FXY (1.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FXY dropped -56.03% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, IEF leads with 0.66% vs -4.47% for FXY. On fees, IEF is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, FXY has been the lower-risk option at 1.19%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IEF has performed better with a 0.66% return vs -4.47%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEF is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for FXY.
IEF has the higher dividend yield at 3.89%, compared with 0.00% for FXY.
FXY is categorized as Currency, while IEF is Government Bonds. FXY tracks Japanese Yen, while IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for FXY and 0.15% for IEF.
IEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs -1.33), 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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