HERO vs. USO
HERO (Global X Video Games & Esports ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - HERO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, HERO returned -3.89%/yr vs 23.67%/yr for USO. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. HERO charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
HERO vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HERO achieves a -14.99% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 97.72% return.
HERO
- 1D
- -1.38%
- 1M
- -4.04%
- YTD
- -14.99%
- 6M
- -17.25%
- 1Y
- -15.17%
- 3Y*
- 9.00%
- 5Y*
- -3.89%
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- -2.92%
- 1M
- -5.15%
- YTD
- 97.72%
- 6M
- 91.54%
- 1Y
- 97.20%
- 3Y*
- 28.78%
- 5Y*
- 23.67%
- 10Y*
- 3.57%
HERO vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HERO Global X Video Games & Esports ETF | -14.99% | 28.74% | 17.65% | 8.36% | -33.42% | -8.37% | 91.02% | 9.12% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 97.72% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 13.36% |
Correlation
The correlation between HERO and USO is -0.22, 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 | -0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 1, 2019 | 0.09 |
The correlation between HERO and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.22 (1 year) to 0.09 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
HERO vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
HERO
USO
HERO vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (HERO) 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.
| HERO | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.99 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.78 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.88 | 1.37 | -0.49 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.57 | 4.79 | -5.36 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.07 | 9.00 | -10.07 |
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
| HERO | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.78 | 2.21 | -2.99 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.17 | 0.66 | -0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.09 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | -0.18 | +0.55 |
Drawdowns
HERO vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HERO drawdown since its inception was -54.02%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HERO and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HERO | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.02% | -98.19% | +44.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.64% | -20.39% | -6.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.64% | -26.05% | -0.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.44% | -36.23% | -12.21% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -28.47% | -85.45% | +56.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -25.97% | -75.30% | +49.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 14.20% | 10.84% | +3.36% |
Volatility
HERO vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (HERO) is 5.28%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.97%. This indicates that HERO 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
| HERO | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.28% | 14.97% | -9.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.14% | 38.35% | -23.21% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.57% | 44.32% | -24.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.36% | 36.09% | -12.73% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.50% | 39.00% | -14.50% |
HERO vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
HERO has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
HERO vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
HERO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.91%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HERO Global X Video Games & Esports ETF | 1.91% | 1.62% | 1.06% | 0.73% | 0.28% | 0.79% | 0.71% | 0.17% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
HERO and USO have a correlation of -0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.97%) compared to HERO (5.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HERO dropped -54.02% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 23.67% vs -3.89% for HERO. On fees, HERO is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, HERO has been the lower-risk option at 5.28%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 23.67% return vs -3.89%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
HERO is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
HERO has the higher dividend yield at 1.91%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
HERO is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. HERO tracks Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Global X and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for HERO and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs -0.78), 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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