QCAP vs. BALQ

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

QCAP (FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April) and BALQ (iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF) are both Nasdaq-100 funds. Both are actively managed. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. QCAP charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for BALQ.

Performance

QCAP vs. BALQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP) and iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF (BALQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, QCAP achieves a 5.23% return, which is significantly lower than BALQ's 22.89% return.

QCAP

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 2.34%
• YTD: 5.23%
• 6M: 5.92%
• 1Y: 11.06%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BALQ

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: 11.15%
• YTD: 22.89%
• 6M: 22.29%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

QCAP vs. BALQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
QCAP FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April	5.23%	0.66%
BALQ iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF	22.89%	-0.49%

Correlation

The correlation between QCAP and BALQ is 0.80, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 4, 2025	0.80

Return for Risk

QCAP vs. BALQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

QCAP

QCAP Risk / Return Rank: 97
QCAP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
QCAP Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
QCAP Omega Ratio Rank: 98
QCAP Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
QCAP Martin Ratio Rank: 98

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.

QCAP vs. BALQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP) and iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF (BALQ). 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.

	QCAP	BALQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	4.17	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	7.37	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.99	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	13.50	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	67.84	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	QCAP	BALQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.17	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.26	2.81	-1.56

Drawdowns

QCAP vs. BALQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QCAP drawdown since its inception was -9.17%, smaller than the maximum BALQ drawdown of -11.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QCAP and BALQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	QCAP	BALQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.17%	-11.79%	+2.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.82%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.08%	-0.21%	+0.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.52%	-2.37%	+1.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.16%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	QCAP	BALQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.99%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.93%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.69%	18.03%	-15.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.73%	18.03%	-9.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.73%	18.03%	-9.30%

QCAP vs. BALQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

QCAP has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than BALQ's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

QCAP vs. BALQ - Dividend Comparison

QCAP has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BALQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.59%.

Position	TTM	2025
BALQ iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF	4.59%	0.95%
QCAP FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QCAP and BALQ in my portfolio?

QCAP and BALQ have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, QCAP or BALQ?

On fees, BALQ is cheaper at 0.35% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, QCAP or BALQ?

BALQ is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for QCAP.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QCAP or BALQ?

BALQ has the higher dividend yield at 4.59%, compared with 0.00% for QCAP.

What is the main difference between QCAP and BALQ?

They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.90% for QCAP and 0.35% for BALQ.