RDTY vs. IWM

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

RDTY (YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF) and IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RDTY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. RDTY is actively managed, while IWM is passively managed. Over the past year, RDTY returned 24.95% vs 39.10% for IWM. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. RDTY charges 1.01%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for IWM.

Performance

RDTY vs. IWM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (RDTY) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RDTY achieves a 12.91% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 17.07% return.

RDTY

• 1D: -1.30%
• 1M: 2.33%
• YTD: 12.91%
• 6M: 12.68%
• 1Y: 24.95%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IWM

• 1D: -1.37%
• 1M: 3.52%
• YTD: 17.07%
• 6M: 15.83%
• 1Y: 39.10%
• 3Y*: 17.88%
• 5Y*: 6.11%
• 10Y*: 10.93%

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

RDTY vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF	12.91%	10.73%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	17.07%	21.26%

Correlation

The correlation between RDTY and IWM is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 7, 2025	0.91

The correlation between RDTY and IWM has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

RDTY vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank

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

RDTY

RDTY Risk / Return Rank: 46
RDTY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
RDTY Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
RDTY Omega Ratio Rank: 39
RDTY Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
RDTY Martin Ratio Rank: 53

IWM

IWM Risk / Return Rank: 62
IWM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
IWM Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
IWM Omega Ratio Rank: 53
IWM Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
IWM Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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.

RDTY vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (RDTY) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). 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.

	RDTY	IWM	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.48	2.05	-0.58
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.11	2.85	-0.75
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.34	-0.08
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.72	3.56	-0.84
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.18	12.64	-3.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RDTY vs. IWM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RDTY Sharpe Ratio is 1.48, which is comparable to the IWM Sharpe Ratio of 2.05. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RDTY and IWM, 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

	RDTY	IWM	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.48	2.05	-0.58
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.27	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.48	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.90	0.37	+0.53

Drawdowns

RDTY vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RDTY drawdown since its inception was -17.31%, smaller than the maximum IWM drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RDTY and IWM.

Drawdown Indicators

	RDTY	IWM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.31%	-59.05%	+41.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.20%	-11.03%	+1.83%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-27.50%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-31.91%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-41.13%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.30%	-1.49%	+0.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.74%	-10.77%	+8.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.72%	3.10%	-0.38%

Volatility

RDTY vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison

YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (RDTY) has a higher volatility of 6.07% compared to iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) at 5.75%. This indicates that RDTY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IWM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RDTY	IWM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.07%	5.75%	+0.32%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.44%	13.53%	-1.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.00%	19.20%	-2.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.08%	22.52%	-0.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.08%	23.04%	-0.96%

RDTY vs. IWM - Expense Ratio Comparison

RDTY has a 1.01% expense ratio, which is higher than IWM's 0.19% expense ratio.

Dividends

RDTY vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison

RDTY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 44.28%, more than IWM's 0.88% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	0.88%	1.04%	1.15%	1.35%	1.48%	0.94%	1.04%	1.26%	1.40%	1.26%	1.38%	1.54%
RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF	44.28%	36.75%	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 RDTY and IWM in my portfolio?

RDTY and IWM have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RDTY or IWM?

RDTY has higher volatility (6.07%) compared to IWM (5.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RDTY dropped -17.31% vs IWM's -59.05%.

Which ETF is better, RDTY or IWM?

On 1-year performance, IWM leads with 39.10% vs 24.95% for RDTY. On fees, IWM is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, IWM has been the lower-risk option at 5.75%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, RDTY or IWM?

Over the 1-year period, IWM has performed better with a 39.10% return vs 24.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, RDTY or IWM?

IWM is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 1.01% for RDTY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, RDTY or IWM?

RDTY has the higher dividend yield at 44.28%, compared with 0.88% for IWM.

What is the main difference between RDTY and IWM?

RDTY is categorized as Derivative Income, while IWM is Small Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.01% for RDTY and 0.19% for IWM.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IWM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.05 vs 1.48), 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.