PYPY vs. USL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PYPY (Yieldmax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF) and USL (United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - PYPY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while USL is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. PYPY is actively managed, while USL is passively managed. Over the past year, PYPY returned -39.20% vs 57.86% for USL. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions. PYPY charges 1.01%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for USL.

Performance

PYPY vs. USL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Yieldmax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF (PYPY) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PYPY achieves a -23.28% return, which is significantly lower than USL's 63.07% return.

PYPY

• 1D: -3.78%
• 1M: -12.23%
• YTD: -23.28%
• 6M: -25.27%
• 1Y: -39.20%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USL

• 1D: 1.55%
• 1M: -1.61%
• YTD: 63.07%
• 6M: 59.66%
• 1Y: 57.86%
• 3Y*: 18.42%
• 5Y*: 17.41%
• 10Y*: 10.91%

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

PYPY vs. USL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
PYPY Yieldmax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF	-23.28%	-30.17%	43.88%	6.09%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	63.07%	-12.37%	8.30%	-12.80%

Correlation

The correlation between PYPY and USL is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2023	-0.04

PYPY vs. USL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PYPY	USL
Financial Services	100.0%	4.5%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

PYPY vs. USL — Risk / Return Rank

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

PYPY

PYPY Risk / Return Rank: 1
PYPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
PYPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 1
PYPY Omega Ratio Rank: 1
PYPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
PYPY Martin Ratio Rank: 1

USL

USL Risk / Return Rank: 56
USL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
USL Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
USL Omega Ratio Rank: 54
USL Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
USL Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

PYPY vs. USL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Yieldmax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF (PYPY) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). 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.

	PYPY	USL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-1.15	2.04	-3.19
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.50	2.58	-4.08
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.78	1.34	-0.56
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.83	3.47	-4.30
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.48	7.02	-8.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PYPY vs. USL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PYPY Sharpe Ratio is -1.15, which is lower than the USL Sharpe Ratio of 2.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PYPY and USL, 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

	PYPY	USL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.15	2.04	-3.19
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.58	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.34	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.23	0.01	-0.24

Drawdowns

PYPY vs. USL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PYPY drawdown since its inception was -53.64%, smaller than the maximum USL drawdown of -89.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PYPY and USL.

Drawdown Indicators

	PYPY	USL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-53.64%	-89.06%	+35.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-47.14%	-16.76%	-30.38%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-23.33%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-33.82%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-66.02%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-49.18%	-38.16%	-11.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.16%	-61.46%	+45.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	26.44%	8.27%	+18.17%

Volatility

PYPY vs. USL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Yieldmax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF (PYPY) is 7.83%, while United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) has a volatility of 10.53%. This indicates that PYPY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PYPY	USL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.83%	10.53%	-2.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	28.63%	23.33%	+5.30%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	34.15%	28.54%	+5.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.10%	30.08%	+1.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	31.10%	32.35%	-1.25%

PYPY vs. USL - Expense Ratio Comparison

PYPY has a 1.01% expense ratio, which is higher than USL's 0.88% expense ratio.

Dividends

PYPY vs. USL - Dividend Comparison

PYPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 69.43%, while USL has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
PYPY Yieldmax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF	69.43%	64.68%	48.65%	5.70%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PYPY and USL in my portfolio?

PYPY and USL have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PYPY or USL?

USL has higher volatility (10.53%) compared to PYPY (7.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PYPY dropped -53.64% vs USL's -89.06%.

Which ETF is better, PYPY or USL?

On 1-year performance, USL leads with 57.86% vs -39.20% for PYPY. On fees, USL is cheaper at 0.88% per year. On volatility, PYPY has been the lower-risk option at 7.83%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PYPY or USL?

Over the 1-year period, USL has performed better with a 57.86% return vs -39.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PYPY or USL?

USL is cheaper with a 0.88% expense ratio, compared with 1.01% for PYPY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PYPY or USL?

PYPY has the higher dividend yield at 69.43%, compared with 0.00% for USL.

What is the main difference between PYPY and USL?

PYPY is categorized as Derivative Income, while USL is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 1.01% for PYPY and 0.88% for USL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs -1.15), 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.