IPAY vs. AIS

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

IPAY (ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF) and AIS (VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IPAY is a Technology Equities fund tracking the Prime Mobile Payments Index, while AIS is a Artificial Intelligence fund actively managed by VistaShares. IPAY is passively managed, while AIS is actively managed. Over the past year, IPAY returned -9.51% vs 125.16% for AIS. Their 0.36 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. Both charge a 0.75% expense ratio.

Performance

IPAY vs. AIS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF (IPAY) and VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (AIS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IPAY achieves a -2.46% return, which is significantly lower than AIS's 72.78% return.

IPAY

• 1D: 1.56%
• 1M: 4.88%
• 6M: 3.61%
• YTD: -2.46%
• 1Y: -9.51%
• 3Y*: 6.01%
• 5Y*: -5.73%
• 10Y*: 7.66%
• ALL TIME*: 6.67%

AIS

• 1D: 2.42%
• 1M: -12.08%
• 6M: 49.99%
• YTD: 72.78%
• 1Y: 125.16%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 77.79%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AIS VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	$38.16M	$40.99M	$51.37M
IPAY ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF	$3.69M	$3.96M	$2.49M

IPAY vs. AIS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
IPAY ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF	-2.46%	-9.55%	-5.51%
AIS VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	72.78%	58.35%	-4.74%

Correlation

The correlation between IPAY and AIS is 0.18, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.18
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2024	0.36

The correlation between IPAY and AIS shifts across timeframes, from 0.18 (1 year) to 0.36 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

IPAY vs. AIS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IPAY	AIS
Technology	52.0%	87.2%
Financial Services	43.1%	-0.0%
Industrials	4.9%	6.8%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	0.3%
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	2.9%

Return for Risk

IPAY vs. AIS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

IPAY

IPAY Risk / Return Rank: 7
IPAY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
IPAY Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
IPAY Omega Ratio Rank: 6
IPAY Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
IPAY Martin Ratio Rank: 8

AIS

AIS Risk / Return Rank: 89
AIS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
AIS Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
AIS Omega Ratio Rank: 87
AIS Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
AIS Martin Ratio Rank: 91

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

IPAY vs. AIS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF (IPAY) and VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (AIS). 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.

	IPAY	AIS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.39	2.64	-3.02
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.37	2.87	-3.24
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.95	1.39	-0.44
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.31	3.66	-3.96
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.52	14.88	-15.40

IPAY vs. AIS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IPAY Sharpe Ratio is -0.39, which is lower than the AIS Sharpe Ratio of 2.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IPAY and AIS, 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

IPAY vs. AIS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IPAY drawdown since its inception was -51.75%, which is greater than AIS's maximum drawdown of -34.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IPAY and AIS.

Drawdown Indicators

	IPAY	AIS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.75%	-34.44%	-17.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.88%	-34.44%	+3.56%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-32.74%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-51.49%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.75%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-29.38%	-26.18%	-3.20%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.93%	-6.35%	-10.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	18.21%	8.44%	+9.77%

Volatility

IPAY vs. AIS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF (IPAY) is 7.11%, while VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (AIS) has a volatility of 20.84%. This indicates that IPAY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AIS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IPAY	AIS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.11%	20.84%	-13.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.94%	43.14%	-23.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.73%	47.84%	-23.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.33%	43.98%	-17.65%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.43%	43.98%	-18.55%

IPAY vs. AIS - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both IPAY and AIS have an expense ratio of 0.75%.

Dividends

IPAY vs. AIS - Dividend Comparison

IPAY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.81%, while AIS has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024
AIS VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IPAY ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF	0.81%	0.79%	0.77%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IPAY and AIS in my portfolio?

IPAY and AIS have a correlation of 0.18, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IPAY or AIS?

AIS has higher volatility (20.84%) compared to IPAY (7.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IPAY dropped -51.75% vs AIS's -34.44%.

Which ETF is better, IPAY or AIS?

On 1-year performance, AIS leads with 125.16% vs -9.51% for IPAY. Both ETFs have the same 0.75% expense ratio. On volatility, IPAY has been the lower-risk option at 7.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IPAY or AIS?

Over the 1-year period, AIS has performed better with a 125.16% return vs -9.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IPAY or AIS?

IPAY and AIS have the same expense ratio: 0.75% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IPAY or AIS?

IPAY has the higher dividend yield at 0.81%, compared with 0.00% for AIS.

What is the main difference between IPAY and AIS?

IPAY is categorized as Technology Equities, while AIS is Artificial Intelligence. They also come from different issuers: ETFMG and VistaShares.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AIS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.64 vs -0.39), 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.