PAYM vs. FTQI

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

PAYM (TrueShares S&P Autocallable Defensive Income ETF) and FTQI (First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PAYM is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by TrueShares, while FTQI is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. PAYM is actively managed, while FTQI is passively managed. Their 0.43 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. PAYM charges 0.74%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for FTQI.

Performance

PAYM vs. FTQI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TrueShares S&P Autocallable Defensive Income ETF (PAYM) and First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF (FTQI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

PAYM

• 1D: 1.54%
• 1M: 2.32%
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

FTQI

• 1D: 1.69%
• 1M: 2.21%
• 6M: 12.75%
• YTD: 14.21%
• 1Y: 25.06%
• 3Y*: 17.53%
• 5Y*: 12.35%
• 10Y*: 8.40%
• ALL TIME*: 7.16%

*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)
FTQI First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF	$11.42M	$8.65M	$5.98M
PAYM TrueShares S&P Autocallable Defensive Income ETF	$706.90K	$1.06M	$937.21K

PAYM vs. FTQI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
PAYM TrueShares S&P Autocallable Defensive Income ETF	2.32%
FTQI First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF	3.62%

Correlation

The correlation between PAYM and FTQI is 0.43, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 28, 2026	0.43

Return for Risk

PAYM vs. FTQI — Risk / Return Rank

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

PAYM

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

FTQI

FTQI Risk / Return Rank: 88
FTQI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
FTQI Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
FTQI Omega Ratio Rank: 86
FTQI Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
FTQI Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

PAYM vs. FTQI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TrueShares S&P Autocallable Defensive Income ETF (PAYM) and First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF (FTQI). 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.

	PAYM	FTQI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	2.24	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	3.14	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.41	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	4.03	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	18.19	—

Drawdowns

PAYM vs. FTQI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PAYM drawdown since its inception was -5.41%, smaller than the maximum FTQI drawdown of -19.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PAYM and FTQI.

Drawdown Indicators

	PAYM	FTQI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-5.41%	-19.42%	+14.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-6.24%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-19.42%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-19.42%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.42%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.47%	0.00%	-0.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.14%	-3.72%	+1.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	1.38%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	PAYM	FTQI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	3.91%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	9.21%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.16%	11.32%	+6.84%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.16%	14.80%	+3.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.16%	12.94%	+5.22%

PAYM vs. FTQI - Expense Ratio Comparison

PAYM has a 0.74% expense ratio, which is lower than FTQI's 0.75% expense ratio.

Dividends

PAYM vs. FTQI - Dividend Comparison

PAYM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.45%, less than FTQI's 11.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FTQI First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF	11.01%	11.46%	11.66%	11.49%	9.85%	3.05%	3.27%	2.95%	3.27%	2.74%	3.02%	3.54%
PAYM TrueShares S&P Autocallable Defensive Income ETF	2.45%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PAYM and FTQI in my portfolio?

PAYM and FTQI have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, PAYM or FTQI?

On fees, PAYM is cheaper at 0.74% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, PAYM or FTQI?

PAYM is cheaper with a 0.74% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for FTQI.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PAYM or FTQI?

FTQI has the higher dividend yield at 11.01%, compared with 2.45% for PAYM.

What is the main difference between PAYM and FTQI?

PAYM is categorized as Derivative Income, while FTQI is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: TrueShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.74% for PAYM and 0.75% for FTQI.