IQQQ vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IQQQ (ProShares Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IQQQ is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the Nasdaq-100 Daily Covered Call Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, IQQQ returned 38.70% vs 27.98% for SPY. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IQQQ charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

IQQQ vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (IQQQ) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IQQQ achieves a 18.72% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.91% return.

IQQQ

• 1D: -0.30%
• 1M: 9.88%
• YTD: 18.72%
• 6M: 17.39%
• 1Y: 38.70%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

IQQQ vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
IQQQ ProShares Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF	18.72%	17.11%	13.39%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	13.69%

Correlation

The correlation between IQQQ and SPY is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 21, 2024	0.93

The correlation between IQQQ and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

IQQQ vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IQQQ	SPY
Technology	53.8%	35.9%
Communication Services	15.8%	11.3%
Consumer Cyclical	12.3%	10.3%
Consumer Defensive	7.7%	4.8%
Healthcare	4.2%	8.4%
Industrials	2.8%	7.8%
Utilities	1.4%	2.4%
Basic Materials	1.1%	1.8%
Energy	0.6%	3.6%
Financial Services	0.2%	11.8%
Real Estate	0.1%	1.9%

Return for Risk

IQQQ vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

IQQQ

IQQQ Risk / Return Rank: 70
IQQQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
IQQQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
IQQQ Omega Ratio Rank: 69
IQQQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
IQQQ Martin Ratio Rank: 66

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

IQQQ vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (IQQQ) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.

	IQQQ	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.53	2.38	+0.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.27	3.24	+0.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.43	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.49	3.16	+0.33
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.41	14.72	-2.31
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IQQQ vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IQQQ Sharpe Ratio is 2.53, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IQQQ and SPY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IQQQ	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.53	2.38	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.25	0.59	+0.66

Drawdowns

IQQQ vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IQQQ drawdown since its inception was -20.41%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IQQQ and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	IQQQ	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.41%	-55.19%	+34.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.13%	-8.88%	-2.25%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.30%	-0.70%	+0.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.64%	-9.05%	+5.41%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.13%	1.91%	+1.22%

Volatility

IQQQ vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

ProShares Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (IQQQ) has a higher volatility of 3.99% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that IQQQ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IQQQ	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.99%	2.84%	+1.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.54%	8.90%	+2.64%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.40%	11.83%	+3.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.57%	17.05%	+1.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.57%	17.94%	+0.63%

IQQQ vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

IQQQ has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

IQQQ vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

IQQQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.42%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IQQQ ProShares Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF	4.42%	10.34%	7.27%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IQQQ and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, IQQQ and SPY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, IQQQ or SPY?

IQQQ has higher volatility (3.99%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IQQQ dropped -20.41% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, IQQQ or SPY?

On 1-year performance, IQQQ leads with 38.70% vs 27.98% for SPY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IQQQ or SPY?

Over the 1-year period, IQQQ has performed better with a 38.70% return vs 27.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IQQQ or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for IQQQ.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IQQQ or SPY?

IQQQ has the higher dividend yield at 4.42%, compared with 0.98% for SPY.

What is the main difference between IQQQ and SPY?

IQQQ is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while SPY is S&P 500. IQQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Daily Covered Call Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for IQQQ and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IQQQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.53 vs 2.38), 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.