SVOL vs. CTA

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL) and Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA).

SVOL and CTA are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SVOL is an actively managed fund by Simplify. It was launched on May 12, 2021. CTA is an actively managed fund by Simplify. It was launched on Mar 7, 2022.

Performance

SVOL vs. CTA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL) and Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SVOL vs. CTA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
SVOL Simplify Volatility Premium ETF	-7.62%	2.41%	6.77%	22.88%	9.86%
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF	9.60%	0.88%	24.15%	-2.23%	9.55%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SVOL achieves a -7.62% return, which is significantly lower than CTA's 9.60% return.

SVOL

• 1D: 0.33%
• 1M: -6.42%
• YTD: -7.62%
• 6M: -5.90%
• 1Y: 3.26%
• 3Y*: 6.17%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

CTA

• 1D: -2.48%
• 1M: -2.23%
• YTD: 9.60%
• 6M: 8.67%
• 1Y: 3.16%
• 3Y*: 14.23%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

SVOL vs. CTA - Expense Ratio Comparison

SVOL has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than CTA's 0.78% expense ratio.

CTA

Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF

SVOL

Simplify Volatility Premium ETF

Return for Risk

SVOL vs. CTA — Risk / Return Rank

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

SVOL

SVOL Risk / Return Rank: 16
SVOL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
SVOL Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
SVOL Omega Ratio Rank: 17
SVOL Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
SVOL Martin Ratio Rank: 16

CTA

CTA Risk / Return Rank: 16
CTA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
CTA Sortino Ratio Rank: 15
CTA Omega Ratio Rank: 15
CTA Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
CTA Martin Ratio Rank: 16

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.

SVOL vs. CTA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL) and Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA). 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.

	SVOL	CTA	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.08	0.20	-0.11
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.43	0.36	+0.07
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.05	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.16	0.35	-0.19
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.53	0.61	-0.08
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SVOL vs. CTA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SVOL Sharpe Ratio is 0.08, which is lower than the CTA Sharpe Ratio of 0.20. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SVOL and CTA, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SVOL	CTA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08	0.20	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.28	0.64	-0.36

Correlation

The correlation between SVOL and CTA is -0.10. This indicates that the assets' prices tend to move in opposite directions. Negative correlation can be particularly beneficial for diversification and risk management, as one asset may offset the losses of the other during market fluctuations.

Dividends

SVOL vs. CTA - Dividend Comparison

SVOL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 23.07%, more than CTA's 3.90% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
SVOL Simplify Volatility Premium ETF	23.07%	19.82%	16.79%	16.36%	18.32%	4.65%
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF	3.90%	3.19%	4.80%	7.78%	6.58%	0.00%

Drawdowns

SVOL vs. CTA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SVOL drawdown since its inception was -33.50%, which is greater than CTA's maximum drawdown of -18.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SVOL and CTA.

Drawdown Indicators

	SVOL	CTA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.50%	-18.07%	-15.43%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-24.73%	-10.68%	-14.05%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.01%	-3.92%	-6.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.74%	-5.74%	+1.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.49%	6.16%	+1.33%

Volatility

SVOL vs. CTA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL) is 4.20%, while Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) has a volatility of 8.27%. This indicates that SVOL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CTA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SVOL	CTA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.20%	8.27%	-4.07%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.82%	12.98%	+0.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	38.84%	16.24%	+22.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.27%	15.63%	+6.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.27%	15.63%	+6.64%