QTUM vs. SCHD

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

QTUM (Defiance Quantum ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - QTUM is a Technology Equities fund tracking the BlueStar Machine Learning and Quantum Computing Index, while SCHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, QTUM returned 24.56%/yr vs 9.54%/yr for SCHD. Their 0.56 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. QTUM charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for SCHD.

Performance

QTUM vs. SCHD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, QTUM achieves a 29.28% return, which is significantly higher than SCHD's 24.03% return.

QTUM

• 1D: 0.67%
• 1M: -8.88%
• 6M: 22.33%
• YTD: 29.28%
• 1Y: 57.72%
• 3Y*: 39.51%
• 5Y*: 24.56%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 25.62%

SCHD

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 3.33%
• 6M: 14.09%
• YTD: 24.03%
• 1Y: 31.54%
• 3Y*: 14.19%
• 5Y*: 9.54%
• 10Y*: 12.76%
• ALL TIME*: 13.39%

*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)
QTUM Defiance Quantum ETF	$54.21M	$61.13M	$111.15M
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	$786.88M	$715.86M	$685.58M

QTUM vs. SCHD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
QTUM Defiance Quantum ETF	29.28%	36.65%	50.54%	39.86%	-28.80%	35.18%	42.05%	47.99%	-19.44%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	24.03%	4.34%	11.66%	4.54%	-3.26%	29.87%	15.03%	27.29%	-9.50%

Correlation

The correlation between QTUM and SCHD is 0.12, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.12
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.34
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.50
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 5, 2018	0.56

Over the past year, the correlation between QTUM and SCHD has dropped to 0.12 - well below their long-term average of 0.56, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

QTUM vs. SCHD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	QTUM	SCHD
Technology	81.4%	12.7%
Industrials	8.9%	7.8%
Communication Services	6.6%	6.2%
Consumer Cyclical	2.0%	7.7%
Healthcare	1.2%	20.8%
Financial Services	0.0%	9.9%
Basic Materials	-	1.2%
Consumer Defensive	-	20.6%
Energy	-	14.1%
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	0.1%

Return for Risk

QTUM vs. SCHD — Risk / Return Rank

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

QTUM

QTUM Risk / Return Rank: 74
QTUM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
QTUM Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
QTUM Omega Ratio Rank: 70
QTUM Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
QTUM Martin Ratio Rank: 76

SCHD

SCHD Risk / Return Rank: 95
SCHD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
SCHD Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
SCHD Omega Ratio Rank: 94
SCHD Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
SCHD 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.

QTUM vs. SCHD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). 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.

	QTUM	SCHD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	2.81	-1.06
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.29	4.37	-2.08
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.51	-0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.57	6.74	-4.17
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.41	17.01	-7.60

QTUM vs. SCHD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QTUM Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is lower than the SCHD Sharpe Ratio of 2.81. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QTUM and SCHD, 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

QTUM vs. SCHD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QTUM drawdown since its inception was -38.45%, which is greater than SCHD's maximum drawdown of -33.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QTUM and SCHD.

Drawdown Indicators

	QTUM	SCHD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.45%	-33.37%	-5.08%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-21.51%	-4.61%	-16.90%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.39%	-16.13%	-9.26%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-38.45%	-16.85%	-21.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.37%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.16%	-1.24%	-14.92%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.27%	-3.30%	-4.97%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.87%	1.82%	+4.05%

Volatility

QTUM vs. SCHD - Volatility Comparison

Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) has a higher volatility of 11.38% compared to Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) at 4.11%. This indicates that QTUM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QTUM	SCHD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.38%	4.11%	+7.27%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	26.47%	8.11%	+18.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	31.67%	11.13%	+20.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.69%	14.39%	+13.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.69%	16.72%	+10.97%

QTUM vs. SCHD - Expense Ratio Comparison

QTUM has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHD's 0.06% expense ratio.

Dividends

QTUM vs. SCHD - Dividend Comparison

QTUM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.83%, less than SCHD's 3.13% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
QTUM Defiance Quantum ETF	0.83%	1.01%	0.61%	0.81%	1.46%	0.48%	0.42%	0.61%	0.21%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	3.13%	3.82%	3.64%	3.49%	3.39%	2.78%	3.16%	2.98%	3.06%	2.63%	2.89%	2.97%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QTUM and SCHD in my portfolio?

QTUM and SCHD have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, QTUM or SCHD?

QTUM has higher volatility (11.38%) compared to SCHD (4.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QTUM dropped -38.45% vs SCHD's -33.37%.

Which ETF is better, QTUM or SCHD?

On 5-year performance, QTUM leads with 24.56% vs 9.54% for SCHD. On fees, SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, SCHD has been the lower-risk option at 4.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, QTUM or SCHD?

Over the 5-year period, QTUM has performed better with a 24.56% return vs 9.54%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, QTUM or SCHD?

SCHD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for QTUM.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QTUM or SCHD?

SCHD has the higher dividend yield at 3.13%, compared with 0.83% for QTUM.

What is the main difference between QTUM and SCHD?

QTUM is categorized as Technology Equities, while SCHD is Dividend. QTUM tracks BlueStar Machine Learning and Quantum Computing Index, while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: Defiance and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for QTUM and 0.06% for SCHD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 1.75), 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.