SQY vs. FTQI

Last updated Jul 17, 2026

SQY (YieldMax SQ Option Income Strategy ETF) and FTQI (First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SQY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while FTQI is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. SQY is actively managed, while FTQI is passively managed. SQY charges 1.01%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for FTQI.

Performance

SQY vs. FTQI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in YieldMax SQ Option Income Strategy ETF (SQY) and First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF (FTQI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

SQY

• 1D: —
• 1M: —
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

FTQI

• 1D: -0.72%
• 1M: 1.28%
• 6M: 11.68%
• YTD: 12.76%
• 1Y: 26.34%
• 3Y*: 16.62%
• 5Y*: 12.26%
• 10Y*: 7.85%

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

Return for Risk

SQY vs. FTQI — Risk / Return Rank

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

SQY

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

FTQI

FTQI Risk / Return Rank: 91
FTQI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
FTQI Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
FTQI Omega Ratio Rank: 90
FTQI Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
FTQI Martin Ratio Rank: 94

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.

SQY vs. FTQI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for YieldMax SQ Option Income Strategy ETF (SQY) and First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF (FTQI). 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.

	SQY	FTQI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	2.43	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	3.37	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.45	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	4.24	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	20.07	—

Drawdowns

Drawdown Indicators

	SQY	FTQI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	—	-19.42%	—
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-6.24%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-19.42%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-19.42%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.42%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	—	-0.85%	—
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	—	-3.73%	—
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	1.32%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	SQY	FTQI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	2.92%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	8.83%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	10.87%	—
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	—	14.82%	—
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	—	12.98%	—

SQY vs. FTQI - Expense Ratio Comparison

SQY has a 1.01% expense ratio, which is higher than FTQI's 0.75% expense ratio.

Dividends

SQY vs. FTQI - Dividend Comparison

SQY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FTQI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.92%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FTQI First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF	10.92%	11.46%	11.66%	11.49%	9.85%	3.05%	3.27%	2.95%	3.27%	2.74%	3.02%	3.54%
SQY YieldMax SQ Option Income Strategy ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, SQY or FTQI?

On fees, FTQI is cheaper at 0.75% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, SQY or FTQI?

FTQI is cheaper with a 0.75% expense ratio, compared with 1.01% for SQY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SQY or FTQI?

FTQI has the higher dividend yield at 10.92%, compared with 0.00% for SQY.

What is the main difference between SQY and FTQI?

SQY is categorized as Derivative Income, while FTQI is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 1.01% for SQY and 0.75% for FTQI.