TMF vs. TLT
TMF (Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X ETF) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - TMF is a Leveraged Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index (300%), while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, TMF returned -16.80%/yr vs -1.73%/yr for TLT. With a 1.00 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. TMF charges 1.01%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.
Performance
TMF vs. TLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TMF achieves a -3.67% return, which is significantly lower than TLT's 0.76% return. Over the past 10 years, TMF has underperformed TLT with an annualized return of -16.80%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively higher -1.73% annualized return.
TMF
- 1D
- 1.59%
- 1M
- 9.33%
- YTD
- -3.67%
- 6M
- -5.31%
- 1Y
- 2.45%
- 3Y*
- -20.43%
- 5Y*
- -31.09%
- 10Y*
- -16.80%
TLT
- 1D
- 0.55%
- 1M
- 3.43%
- YTD
- 0.76%
- 6M
- 0.32%
- 1Y
- 5.45%
- 3Y*
- -1.66%
- 5Y*
- -6.54%
- 10Y*
- -1.73%
TMF vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TMF Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X ETF | -3.67% | -2.94% | -35.95% | -13.01% | -72.60% | -19.80% | 39.02% | 34.75% | -11.01% | 22.72% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.76% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between TMF and TLT is 1.00 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 16, 2009 | 1.00 |
The correlation between TMF and TLT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 1.00 to 1.00 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
TMF vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank
TMF
TLT
TMF vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X ETF (TMF) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). 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.
| TMF | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.49 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.57 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 1.10 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.09 | 0.72 | -0.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.20 | 1.73 | -1.53 |
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Drawdowns
TMF vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TMF drawdown since its inception was -92.89%, which is greater than TLT's maximum drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TMF and TLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TMF | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -92.89% | -48.35% | -44.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.51% | -7.58% | -18.93% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -56.31% | -19.18% | -37.13% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -88.81% | -43.70% | -45.11% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -92.89% | -48.35% | -44.54% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -92.03% | -39.82% | -52.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -43.72% | -13.85% | -29.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.06% | 3.15% | +8.91% |
Volatility
TMF vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X ETF (TMF) has a higher volatility of 7.00% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 2.35%. This indicates that TMF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TMF | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.00% | 2.35% | +4.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.29% | 6.59% | +12.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.13% | 9.57% | +18.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 46.73% | 15.86% | +30.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 43.93% | 14.91% | +29.02% |
TMF vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
TMF has a 1.01% expense ratio, which is higher than TLT's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
TMF vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison
TMF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.05%, less than TLT's 4.54% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.54% | 4.43% | 4.30% | 3.38% | 2.67% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 2.43% | 2.60% | 2.61% |
TMF Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X ETF | 4.05% | 4.06% | 4.29% | 2.82% | 1.62% | 0.13% | 2.23% | 0.94% | 1.49% | 0.41% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 1.00, TMF and TLT move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
TMF has higher volatility (7.00%) compared to TLT (2.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TMF dropped -92.89% vs TLT's -48.35%.
On 10-year performance, TLT leads with -1.73% vs -16.80% for TMF. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, TLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.35%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, TLT has performed better with a -1.73% return vs -16.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
TLT is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 1.01% for TMF.
TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.54%, compared with 4.05% for TMF.
TMF is categorized as Leveraged Bonds, while TLT is Government Bonds. TMF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index (300%), while TLT tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.01% for TMF and 0.15% for TLT.
TLT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.58 vs 0.09), 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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