ULTY vs. BUCK

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

ULTY (YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF) and BUCK (Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ULTY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while BUCK is a Government Bonds fund actively managed by Simplify. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, ULTY returned -9.45% vs 5.36% for BUCK. Their 0.05 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. ULTY charges 1.40%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for BUCK.

Performance

ULTY vs. BUCK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF (ULTY) and Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF (BUCK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ULTY achieves a 2.90% return, which is significantly higher than BUCK's 2.42% return.

ULTY

• 1D: 0.58%
• 1M: -3.39%
• 6M: 1.20%
• YTD: 2.90%
• 1Y: -9.45%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: -1.16%

BUCK

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 0.17%
• 6M: 1.84%
• YTD: 2.42%
• 1Y: 5.36%
• 3Y*: 5.15%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 5.06%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
BUCK Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF	$3.71M	$3.63M	$3.94M
ULTY YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF	$16.46M	$14.74M	$17.73M

ULTY vs. BUCK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ULTY YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF	2.90%	-0.84%	-4.73%
BUCK Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF	2.42%	4.13%	4.73%

Correlation

The correlation between ULTY and BUCK is 0.05, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 29, 2024	0.05

Return for Risk

ULTY vs. BUCK — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

ULTY

ULTY Risk / Return Rank: 5
ULTY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
ULTY Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
ULTY Omega Ratio Rank: 5
ULTY Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
ULTY Martin Ratio Rank: 5

BUCK

BUCK Risk / Return Rank: 95
BUCK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
BUCK Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
BUCK Omega Ratio Rank: 94
BUCK Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
BUCK Martin Ratio Rank: 97

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

ULTY vs. BUCK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF (ULTY) and Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF (BUCK). 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.

	ULTY	BUCK	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.52	2.41	-2.92
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.57	3.58	-4.15
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.93	1.52	-0.59
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.47	7.39	-7.87
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.86	34.83	-35.68

ULTY vs. BUCK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ULTY Sharpe Ratio is -0.52, which is lower than the BUCK Sharpe Ratio of 2.41. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ULTY and BUCK, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

ULTY vs. BUCK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ULTY drawdown since its inception was -26.85%, which is greater than BUCK's maximum drawdown of -5.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ULTY and BUCK.

Drawdown Indicators

	ULTY	BUCK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.85%	-5.43%	-21.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-24.16%	-0.84%	-23.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-5.43%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.63%	-0.11%	-15.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.03%	-0.47%	-9.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.27%	0.18%	+13.09%

Volatility

ULTY vs. BUCK - Volatility Comparison

YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF (ULTY) has a higher volatility of 6.71% compared to Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF (BUCK) at 0.39%. This indicates that ULTY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BUCK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ULTY	BUCK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.71%	0.39%	+6.32%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.07%	1.24%	+15.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.12%	2.59%	+19.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.08%	3.42%	+23.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.08%	3.42%	+23.66%

ULTY vs. BUCK - Expense Ratio Comparison

ULTY has a 1.40% expense ratio, which is higher than BUCK's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

ULTY vs. BUCK - Dividend Comparison

ULTY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 113.74%, more than BUCK's 7.20% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
BUCK Simplify Treasury Option Income ETF	7.20%	7.59%	8.84%	4.84%	0.59%
ULTY YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF	113.74%	142.99%	111.70%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ULTY and BUCK in my portfolio?

ULTY and BUCK have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ULTY or BUCK?

ULTY has higher volatility (6.71%) compared to BUCK (0.39%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ULTY dropped -26.85% vs BUCK's -5.43%.

Which ETF is better, ULTY or BUCK?

On 1-year performance, BUCK leads with 5.36% vs -9.45% for ULTY. On fees, BUCK is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, BUCK has been the lower-risk option at 0.39%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ULTY or BUCK?

Over the 1-year period, BUCK has performed better with a 5.36% return vs -9.45%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ULTY or BUCK?

BUCK is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 1.40% for ULTY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ULTY or BUCK?

ULTY has the higher dividend yield at 113.74%, compared with 7.20% for BUCK.

What is the main difference between ULTY and BUCK?

ULTY is categorized as Derivative Income, while BUCK is Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and Simplify. Their fees differ too: 1.40% for ULTY and 0.35% for BUCK.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BUCK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.41 vs -0.52), 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.