SQQQ vs. BND
SQQQ (ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ) and BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SQQQ is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index (-300%), while BND is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SQQQ returned -54.75%/yr vs 1.43%/yr for BND. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SQQQ charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BND.
Performance
SQQQ vs. BND - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SQQQ achieves a -36.18% return, which is significantly lower than BND's 0.08% return. Over the past 10 years, SQQQ has underperformed BND with an annualized return of -54.75%, while BND has yielded a comparatively higher 1.43% annualized return.
SQQQ
- 1D
- -0.26%
- 1M
- 17.99%
- 6M
- -34.34%
- YTD
- -36.18%
- 1Y
- -51.42%
- 3Y*
- -51.15%
- 5Y*
- -45.04%
- 10Y*
- -54.75%
- ALL TIME*
- -52.82%
BND
- 1D
- -0.25%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- 6M
- -0.09%
- YTD
- 0.08%
- 1Y
- 3.77%
- 3Y*
- 3.82%
- 5Y*
- -0.23%
- 10Y*
- 1.43%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.03%
SQQQ vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SQQQ ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ | -36.18% | -53.05% | -49.79% | -73.61% | 82.40% | -60.87% | -86.40% | -65.92% | -20.83% | -58.67% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.08% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between SQQQ and BND is -0.25, 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 | -0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.17 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 11, 2010 | 0.05 |
The correlation between SQQQ and BND shifts across timeframes, from -0.25 (1 year) to 0.05 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SQQQ vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank
SQQQ
BND
SQQQ vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND). 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.
| SQQQ | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.94 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.94 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.85 | 1.18 | -0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.84 | 1.41 | -2.26 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.53 | 3.81 | -5.34 |
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Drawdowns
SQQQ vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SQQQ drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than BND's maximum drawdown of -18.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SQQQ and BND.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SQQQ | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -18.58% | -81.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -61.03% | -2.68% | -58.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -92.51% | -5.59% | -86.92% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -97.27% | -17.91% | -79.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.97% | -18.58% | -81.39% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -2.55% | -97.45% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -92.76% | -3.06% | -89.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 33.69% | 0.99% | +32.70% |
Volatility
SQQQ vs. BND - Volatility Comparison
ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) has a higher volatility of 21.99% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) at 1.08%. This indicates that SQQQ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SQQQ | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 21.99% | 1.08% | +20.91% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 46.34% | 2.87% | +43.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 56.15% | 3.72% | +52.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 67.92% | 6.03% | +61.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 66.60% | 5.53% | +61.07% |
SQQQ vs. BND - Expense Ratio Comparison
SQQQ has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than BND's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
SQQQ vs. BND - Dividend Comparison
SQQQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.36%, more than BND's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 4.00% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
SQQQ ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ | 9.36% | 9.36% | 10.23% | 8.01% | 0.28% | 0.00% | 2.15% | 2.92% | 1.47% | 0.14% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SQQQ and BND have a correlation of -0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SQQQ has higher volatility (21.99%) compared to BND (1.08%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SQQQ dropped -100.00% vs BND's -18.58%.
On 10-year performance, BND leads with 1.43% vs -54.75% for SQQQ. On fees, BND is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BND has been the lower-risk option at 1.08%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, BND has performed better with a 1.43% return vs -54.75%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BND is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for SQQQ.
SQQQ has the higher dividend yield at 9.36%, compared with 4.00% for BND.
SQQQ is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while BND is Total Bond Market. SQQQ tracks NASDAQ-100 Index (-300%), while BND tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for SQQQ and 0.03% for BND.
BND currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.02 vs -0.92), 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.
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