UCO vs. YGLD

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

UCO (ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil) and YGLD (Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UCO is a Leveraged Commodities fund tracking the Dow Jones-UBS Crude Oil Sub-Index (200%), while YGLD is a Gold fund actively managed by Simplify. UCO is passively managed, while YGLD is actively managed. Over the past year, UCO returned 118.05% vs 23.36% for YGLD. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UCO charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for YGLD.

Performance

UCO vs. YGLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO) and Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF (YGLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UCO achieves a 142.55% return, which is significantly higher than YGLD's -5.98% return.

UCO

• 1D: 2.52%
• 1M: 0.21%
• YTD: 142.55%
• 6M: 133.13%
• 1Y: 118.05%
• 3Y*: 24.78%
• 5Y*: 21.76%
• 10Y*: -11.55%

YGLD

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: -3.77%
• YTD: -5.98%
• 6M: -6.00%
• 1Y: 23.36%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

UCO vs. YGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
UCO ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil	142.55%	-29.75%	4.40%
YGLD Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF	-5.98%	96.82%	-4.17%

Correlation

The correlation between UCO and YGLD is -0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.09
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 4, 2024	0.01

Return for Risk

UCO vs. YGLD — Risk / Return Rank

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

UCO

UCO Risk / Return Rank: 56
UCO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
UCO Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
UCO Omega Ratio Rank: 50
UCO Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
UCO Martin Ratio Rank: 44

YGLD

YGLD Risk / Return Rank: 19
YGLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
YGLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
YGLD Omega Ratio Rank: 21
YGLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
YGLD Martin Ratio Rank: 17

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.

UCO vs. YGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO) and Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF (YGLD). 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.

	UCO	YGLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.08	0.58	+1.50
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.43	0.97	+1.46
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.14	+0.18
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.78	0.83	+2.95
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.17	1.93	+5.24
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UCO vs. YGLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UCO Sharpe Ratio is 2.08, which is higher than the YGLD Sharpe Ratio of 0.58. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UCO and YGLD, 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

	UCO	YGLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.08	0.58	+1.50
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.16	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.34	1.21	-1.55

Drawdowns

UCO vs. YGLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UCO drawdown since its inception was -99.95%, which is greater than YGLD's maximum drawdown of -34.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UCO and YGLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	UCO	YGLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.95%	-34.23%	-65.72%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-34.77%	-34.23%	-0.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-50.38%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-67.24%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-98.75%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.25%	-32.15%	-67.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-85.48%	-7.84%	-77.64%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	18.32%	14.71%	+3.61%

Volatility

UCO vs. YGLD - Volatility Comparison

ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO) has a higher volatility of 22.10% compared to Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF (YGLD) at 9.06%. This indicates that UCO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than YGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UCO	YGLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	22.10%	9.06%	+13.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	46.40%	34.66%	+11.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	57.35%	40.60%	+16.75%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	59.77%	39.13%	+20.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	71.36%	39.13%	+32.23%

UCO vs. YGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison

UCO has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than YGLD's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

UCO vs. YGLD - Dividend Comparison

UCO has not paid dividends to shareholders, while YGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 18.97%.

Position	TTM	2025
UCO ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil	0.00%	0.00%
YGLD Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF	18.97%	12.05%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UCO and YGLD in my portfolio?

UCO and YGLD have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UCO or YGLD?

UCO has higher volatility (22.10%) compared to YGLD (9.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UCO dropped -99.95% vs YGLD's -34.23%.

Which ETF is better, UCO or YGLD?

On 1-year performance, UCO leads with 118.05% vs 23.36% for YGLD. On fees, YGLD is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, YGLD has been the lower-risk option at 9.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UCO or YGLD?

Over the 1-year period, UCO has performed better with a 118.05% return vs 23.36%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UCO or YGLD?

YGLD is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for UCO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UCO or YGLD?

YGLD has the higher dividend yield at 18.97%, compared with 0.00% for UCO.

What is the main difference between UCO and YGLD?

UCO is categorized as Leveraged Commodities, while YGLD is Gold. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Simplify. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for UCO and 0.50% for YGLD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

UCO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.08 vs 0.58), 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.