GENZ vs. USO
GENZ (VanEck Digital Native Economy ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - GENZ is a Technology Equities fund tracking the MarketVector Digital Native Economy Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GENZ returned 3.13%/yr vs 5.64%/yr for USO. Their 0.25 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. GENZ charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
GENZ vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GENZ achieves a -8.92% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 86.77% return. Over the past 10 years, GENZ has underperformed USO with an annualized return of 3.13%, while USO has yielded a comparatively higher 5.64% annualized return.
GENZ
- 1D
- -3.10%
- 1M
- -2.17%
- 6M
- 0.24%
- YTD
- -8.92%
- 1Y
- -13.86%
- 3Y*
- -4.53%
- 5Y*
- -3.36%
- 10Y*
- 3.13%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.85%
USO
- 1D
- 1.33%
- 1M
- 24.23%
- 6M
- 62.44%
- YTD
- 86.77%
- 1Y
- 66.76%
- 3Y*
- 20.97%
- 5Y*
- 20.59%
- 10Y*
- 5.64%
- ALL TIME*
- -6.85%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $64.71K | $66.66K | $80.30K | |
| $968.42M | $871.56M | $931.57M |
GENZ vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GENZ VanEck Digital Native Economy ETF | -8.92% | 4.15% | -1.39% | 11.52% | -12.83% | -4.30% | 12.72% | 30.17% | -26.79% | 41.11% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 86.77% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 2.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between GENZ and USO is -0.25, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.16 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 24, 2008 | 0.25 |
The correlation between GENZ and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.25 (1 year) to 0.25 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
GENZ vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
GENZ
USO
GENZ vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Digital Native Economy ETF (GENZ) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO). 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.
| GENZ | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.03 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.89 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.90 | 1.25 | -0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.54 | 1.93 | -2.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.89 | 5.60 | -6.48 |
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Drawdowns
GENZ vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GENZ drawdown since its inception was -71.12%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GENZ and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GENZ | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.12% | -98.19% | +27.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.40% | -32.49% | +6.09% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.40% | -32.49% | +6.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.93% | -36.23% | -3.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -56.43% | -86.75% | +30.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -28.49% | -86.26% | +57.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.57% | -75.38% | +50.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 16.08% | 12.03% | +4.05% |
Volatility
GENZ vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Digital Native Economy ETF (GENZ) is 7.97%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 17.73%. This indicates that GENZ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GENZ | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.97% | 17.73% | -9.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.84% | 42.79% | -24.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.62% | 46.91% | -26.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.71% | 37.06% | -12.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.15% | 39.29% | -14.14% |
GENZ vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
GENZ has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
GENZ vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
GENZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.66%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GENZ VanEck Digital Native Economy ETF | 3.66% | 3.34% | 2.88% | 1.68% | 0.44% | 0.79% | 0.47% | 2.95% | 3.43% | 2.31% | 3.15% | 4.09% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GENZ and USO have a correlation of -0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (17.73%) compared to GENZ (7.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GENZ dropped -71.12% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 10-year performance, USO leads with 5.64% vs 3.13% for GENZ. On fees, GENZ is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, GENZ has been the lower-risk option at 7.97%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, USO has performed better with a 5.64% return vs 3.13%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GENZ is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
GENZ has the higher dividend yield at 3.66%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
GENZ is categorized as Technology Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. GENZ tracks MarketVector Digital Native Economy Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for GENZ and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.34 vs -0.69), 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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