JNUG vs. IFED

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

JNUG (Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull 2x Shares) and IFED (ETRACS IFED Invest with the Fed TR Index ETN) are both Leveraged Equities funds - JNUG tracks the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index (300%) while IFED tracks the IFED Large-Cap US Equity Index - Benchmark TR Gross. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, JNUG returned 71.84%/yr vs 17.19%/yr for IFED. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. JNUG charges 1.17%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for IFED.

Performance

JNUG vs. IFED - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull 2x Shares (JNUG) and ETRACS IFED Invest with the Fed TR Index ETN (IFED). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JNUG achieves a -13.94% return, which is significantly lower than IFED's -2.31% return.

JNUG

• 1D: 1.51%
• 1M: -2.04%
• YTD: -13.94%
• 6M: -0.62%
• 1Y: 112.06%
• 3Y*: 71.84%
• 5Y*: 12.42%
• 10Y*: -23.85%

IFED

• 1D: -1.64%
• 1M: 6.11%
• YTD: -2.31%
• 6M: -1.82%
• 1Y: 4.42%
• 3Y*: 17.19%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

JNUG vs. IFED - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
JNUG Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull 2x Shares	-13.94%	478.59%	9.96%	-4.79%	-43.60%	-2.42%
IFED ETRACS IFED Invest with the Fed TR Index ETN	-2.31%	15.02%	23.04%	20.78%	-1.46%	8.46%

Correlation

The correlation between JNUG and IFED is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.22
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 16, 2021	0.27

Return for Risk

JNUG vs. IFED — Risk / Return Rank

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

JNUG

JNUG Risk / Return Rank: 37
JNUG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
JNUG Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
JNUG Omega Ratio Rank: 37
JNUG Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
JNUG Martin Ratio Rank: 36

IFED

IFED Risk / Return Rank: 12
IFED Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
IFED Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
IFED Omega Ratio Rank: 12
IFED Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
IFED Martin Ratio Rank: 12

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.

JNUG vs. IFED - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull 2x Shares (JNUG) and ETRACS IFED Invest with the Fed TR Index ETN (IFED). 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.

	JNUG	IFED	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.14	0.27	+0.87
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.76	0.51	+1.25
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.06	+0.18
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.45	0.33	+2.13
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.48	0.84	+4.64
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

JNUG vs. IFED - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JNUG Sharpe Ratio is 1.14, which is higher than the IFED Sharpe Ratio of 0.27. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JNUG and IFED, 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

	JNUG	IFED	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.14	0.27	+0.87
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.16	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.22	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.29	0.66	-0.95

Drawdowns

JNUG vs. IFED - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JNUG drawdown since its inception was -99.95%, which is greater than IFED's maximum drawdown of -22.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JNUG and IFED.

Drawdown Indicators

	JNUG	IFED	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.95%	-22.36%	-77.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-56.39%	-14.65%	-41.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-56.39%	-22.36%	-34.03%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-80.95%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-99.66%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.52%	-4.31%	-95.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-93.89%	-5.84%	-88.05%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	25.28%	5.74%	+19.54%

Volatility

JNUG vs. IFED - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull 2x Shares (JNUG) has a higher volatility of 31.67% compared to ETRACS IFED Invest with the Fed TR Index ETN (IFED) at 4.24%. This indicates that JNUG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IFED based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JNUG	IFED	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	31.67%	4.24%	+27.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	83.60%	12.80%	+70.80%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	99.37%	16.17%	+83.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	80.40%	19.88%	+60.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	106.52%	19.88%	+86.64%

JNUG vs. IFED - Expense Ratio Comparison

JNUG has a 1.17% expense ratio, which is higher than IFED's 0.45% expense ratio.

Dividends

JNUG vs. IFED - Dividend Comparison

JNUG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.43%, while IFED has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IFED ETRACS IFED Invest with the Fed TR Index ETN	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
JNUG Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull 2x Shares	1.43%	1.04%	2.01%	1.62%	0.00%	0.52%	0.10%	0.46%	0.06%	0.51%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JNUG and IFED in my portfolio?

JNUG and IFED have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, JNUG or IFED?

JNUG has higher volatility (31.67%) compared to IFED (4.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JNUG dropped -99.95% vs IFED's -22.36%.

Which ETF is better, JNUG or IFED?

On 3-year performance, JNUG leads with 71.84% vs 17.19% for IFED. On fees, IFED is cheaper at 0.45% per year. On volatility, IFED has been the lower-risk option at 4.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, JNUG or IFED?

Over the 3-year period, JNUG has performed better with a 71.84% return vs 17.19%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, JNUG or IFED?

IFED is cheaper with a 0.45% expense ratio, compared with 1.17% for JNUG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, JNUG or IFED?

JNUG has the higher dividend yield at 1.43%, compared with 0.00% for IFED.

What is the main difference between JNUG and IFED?

JNUG tracks MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index (300%), while IFED tracks IFED Large-Cap US Equity Index - Benchmark TR Gross. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and UBS. Their fees differ too: 1.17% for JNUG and 0.45% for IFED.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

JNUG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.14 vs 0.27), 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.