NXTG vs. CRTC

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

NXTG (First Trust IndXX NextG ETF) and CRTC (Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF) are both Technology Equities funds - NXTG tracks the Indxx 5G & NextG Thematic Index while CRTC tracks the Solactive Whitney U.S. Critical Technologies Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, NXTG returned 53.55% vs 14.54% for CRTC. Their 0.76 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. NXTG charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for CRTC.

Performance

NXTG vs. CRTC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust IndXX NextG ETF (NXTG) and Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF (CRTC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NXTG achieves a 35.27% return, which is significantly higher than CRTC's 6.95% return.

NXTG

• 1D: -0.65%
• 1M: -2.13%
• 6M: 28.42%
• YTD: 35.27%
• 1Y: 53.55%
• 3Y*: 28.09%
• 5Y*: 15.88%
• 10Y*: 15.78%
• ALL TIME*: 12.21%

CRTC

• 1D: 1.00%
• 1M: 0.72%
• 6M: 4.69%
• YTD: 6.95%
• 1Y: 14.54%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 19.14%

*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)
CRTC Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF	$258.18K	$628.52K	$497.75K
NXTG First Trust IndXX NextG ETF	$1.58M	$1.75M	$2.16M

NXTG vs. CRTC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
NXTG First Trust IndXX NextG ETF	35.27%	28.46%	12.85%	8.19%
CRTC Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF	6.95%	18.69%	18.05%	7.16%

Correlation

The correlation between NXTG and CRTC is 0.77, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2023	0.76

The correlation between NXTG and CRTC has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.

NXTG vs. CRTC - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	NXTG	CRTC
Technology	64.5%	39.6%
Communication Services	22.2%	14.0%
Industrials	6.5%	13.4%
Real Estate	6.4%	0.1%
Consumer Cyclical	0.5%	4.9%
Basic Materials	-	3.0%
Consumer Defensive	-	0.0%
Energy	-	5.8%
Financial Services	-	0.1%
Healthcare	-	13.5%
Utilities	-	5.5%

Return for Risk

NXTG vs. CRTC — Risk / Return Rank

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

NXTG

NXTG Risk / Return Rank: 87
NXTG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
NXTG Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
NXTG Omega Ratio Rank: 89
NXTG Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
NXTG Martin Ratio Rank: 82

CRTC

CRTC Risk / Return Rank: 37
CRTC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
CRTC Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
CRTC Omega Ratio Rank: 34
CRTC Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
CRTC Martin Ratio Rank: 40

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.

NXTG vs. CRTC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust IndXX NextG ETF (NXTG) and Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF (CRTC). 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.

	NXTG	CRTC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.37	0.92	+1.45
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.02	1.31	+1.71
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.16	+0.24
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.44	1.42	+2.02
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.87	4.45	+6.42

NXTG vs. CRTC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NXTG Sharpe Ratio is 2.37, which is higher than the CRTC Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NXTG and CRTC, 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

NXTG vs. CRTC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NXTG drawdown since its inception was -33.61%, which is greater than CRTC's maximum drawdown of -19.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NXTG and CRTC.

Drawdown Indicators

	NXTG	CRTC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.61%	-19.07%	-14.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.41%	-9.05%	-6.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.75%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.61%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.61%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-13.19%	-2.76%	-10.43%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.93%	-2.23%	-5.70%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.87%	2.88%	+1.99%

Volatility

NXTG vs. CRTC - Volatility Comparison

First Trust IndXX NextG ETF (NXTG) has a higher volatility of 6.84% compared to Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF (CRTC) at 3.66%. This indicates that NXTG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CRTC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NXTG	CRTC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.84%	3.66%	+3.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.89%	10.80%	+9.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.42%	13.91%	+8.51%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.80%	15.77%	+3.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.12%	15.77%	+3.35%

NXTG vs. CRTC - Expense Ratio Comparison

NXTG has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than CRTC's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

NXTG vs. CRTC - Dividend Comparison

NXTG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.27%, more than CRTC's 0.89% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CRTC Xtrackers US National Critical Technologies ETF	0.89%	1.03%	1.13%	0.16%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
NXTG First Trust IndXX NextG ETF	1.27%	1.56%	1.51%	2.15%	2.04%	1.97%	1.04%	0.77%	1.27%	1.65%	1.23%	1.11%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NXTG and CRTC in my portfolio?

NXTG and CRTC have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NXTG or CRTC?

NXTG has higher volatility (6.84%) compared to CRTC (3.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NXTG dropped -33.61% vs CRTC's -19.07%.

Which ETF is better, NXTG or CRTC?

On 1-year performance, NXTG leads with 53.55% vs 14.54% for CRTC. On fees, CRTC is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, CRTC has been the lower-risk option at 3.66%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, NXTG or CRTC?

Over the 1-year period, NXTG has performed better with a 53.55% return vs 14.54%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, NXTG or CRTC?

CRTC is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for NXTG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, NXTG or CRTC?

NXTG has the higher dividend yield at 1.27%, compared with 0.89% for CRTC.

What is the main difference between NXTG and CRTC?

NXTG tracks Indxx 5G & NextG Thematic Index, while CRTC tracks Solactive Whitney U.S. Critical Technologies Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for NXTG and 0.35% for CRTC.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NXTG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 0.92), 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.