KORU vs. FAS

Last updated Jul 22, 2026

KORU (Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares) and FAS (Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - KORU is a South Korea Equities fund tracking the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, while FAS is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Financial Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, KORU returned 6.71%/yr vs 21.50%/yr for FAS. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. KORU charges 1.32%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for FAS.

Performance

KORU vs. FAS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) and Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF (FAS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KORU achieves a 139.37% return, which is significantly higher than FAS's 0.21% return. Over the past 10 years, KORU has underperformed FAS with an annualized return of 6.71%, while FAS has yielded a comparatively higher 21.50% annualized return.

KORU

• 1D: 18.03%
• 1M: -60.16%
• 6M: 64.51%
• YTD: 139.37%
• 1Y: 406.75%
• 3Y*: 65.37%
• 5Y*: 3.37%
• 10Y*: 6.71%
• ALL TIME*: 1.58%

FAS

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 14.66%
• 6M: 10.47%
• YTD: 0.21%
• 1Y: 9.01%
• 3Y*: 37.42%
• 5Y*: 13.19%
• 10Y*: 21.50%
• ALL TIME*: 13.87%

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

KORU vs. FAS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
KORU Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares	139.37%	432.73%	-62.18%	28.61%	-70.16%	-33.86%	48.78%	5.47%	-59.89%	167.08%
FAS Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF	0.21%	21.48%	84.47%	14.92%	-43.19%	116.59%	-34.97%	113.04%	-33.84%	67.37%

Correlation

The correlation between KORU and FAS is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.26
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.43
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2013	0.44

Over the past year, the correlation between KORU and FAS has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.44, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

KORU vs. FAS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	KORU	FAS
Technology	61.3%	1.6%
Industrials	15.4%	0.2%
Financial Services	8.8%	98.2%
Consumer Cyclical	4.7%	-
Healthcare	3.1%	-
Communication Services	2.6%	-
Consumer Defensive	1.7%	-
Basic Materials	1.2%	-
Energy	1.0%	-
Utilities	0.3%	-
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

KORU vs. FAS — Risk / Return Rank

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

KORU

KORU Risk / Return Rank: 90
KORU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
KORU Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
KORU Omega Ratio Rank: 86
KORU Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
KORU Martin Ratio Rank: 91

FAS

FAS Risk / Return Rank: 15
FAS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
FAS Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
FAS Omega Ratio Rank: 16
FAS Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
FAS Martin Ratio Rank: 14

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.

KORU vs. FAS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) and Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF (FAS). 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.

	KORU	FAS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.69	0.21	+2.48
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.76	0.58	+2.19
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.07	+0.32
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.76	0.22	+5.54
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.72	0.49	+15.23

KORU vs. FAS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KORU Sharpe Ratio is 2.69, which is higher than the FAS Sharpe Ratio of 0.21. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KORU and FAS, 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

KORU vs. FAS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KORU drawdown since its inception was -95.79%, roughly equal to the maximum FAS drawdown of -91.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KORU and FAS.

Drawdown Indicators

	KORU	FAS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-95.79%	-91.61%	-4.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-71.13%	-40.88%	-30.25%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-73.34%	-43.10%	-30.24%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-92.74%	-66.88%	-25.86%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-95.79%	-85.99%	-9.80%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-65.64%	-8.06%	-57.58%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-57.40%	-31.02%	-26.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	26.04%	18.46%	+7.58%

Volatility

KORU vs. FAS - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) has a higher volatility of 70.29% compared to Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF (FAS) at 11.68%. This indicates that KORU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KORU	FAS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	70.29%	11.68%	+58.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	148.29%	33.49%	+114.80%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	152.54%	43.44%	+109.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	94.31%	54.96%	+39.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	84.57%	61.10%	+23.47%

KORU vs. FAS - Expense Ratio Comparison

KORU has a 1.32% expense ratio, which is higher than FAS's 0.88% expense ratio.

Dividends

KORU vs. FAS - Dividend Comparison

KORU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.36%, less than FAS's 8.37% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FAS Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF	8.37%	8.21%	0.76%	1.77%	0.91%	0.60%	0.47%	0.62%	1.43%	0.11%
KORU Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares	0.36%	0.89%	4.10%	2.55%	0.48%	0.76%	0.01%	0.93%	1.40%	3.59%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KORU and FAS in my portfolio?

KORU and FAS have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, KORU or FAS?

KORU has higher volatility (70.29%) compared to FAS (11.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KORU dropped -95.79% vs FAS's -91.61%.

Which ETF is better, KORU or FAS?

On 10-year performance, FAS leads with 21.50% vs 6.71% for KORU. On fees, FAS is cheaper at 0.88% per year. On volatility, FAS has been the lower-risk option at 11.68%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, KORU or FAS?

Over the 10-year period, FAS has performed better with a 21.50% return vs 6.71%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, KORU or FAS?

FAS is cheaper with a 0.88% expense ratio, compared with 1.32% for KORU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, KORU or FAS?

FAS has the higher dividend yield at 8.37%, compared with 0.36% for KORU.

What is the main difference between KORU and FAS?

KORU is categorized as South Korea Equities, while FAS is Leveraged Equities. KORU tracks MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, while FAS tracks Financial Select Sector Index. Their fees differ too: 1.32% for KORU and 0.88% for FAS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KORU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.69 vs 0.21), 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.