URTY vs. SPXL

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

URTY (ProShares UltraPro Russell2000) and SPXL (Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF) are both Leveraged Equities funds - URTY tracks the Russell 2000 Index (300%) while SPXL tracks the S&P 500. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, URTY returned 8.17%/yr vs 30.47%/yr for SPXL. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. URTY charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.84%/yr for SPXL.

Performance

URTY vs. SPXL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) and Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF (SPXL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, URTY achieves a 52.66% return, which is significantly higher than SPXL's 30.87% return. Over the past 10 years, URTY has underperformed SPXL with an annualized return of 8.17%, while SPXL has yielded a comparatively higher 30.47% annualized return.

URTY

• 1D: 2.70%
• 1M: 11.99%
• YTD: 52.66%
• 6M: 54.22%
• 1Y: 137.89%
• 3Y*: 29.37%
• 5Y*: -5.67%
• 10Y*: 8.17%

SPXL

• 1D: 0.41%
• 1M: 15.92%
• YTD: 30.87%
• 6M: 30.90%
• 1Y: 88.59%
• 3Y*: 53.90%
• 5Y*: 24.69%
• 10Y*: 30.47%

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

URTY vs. SPXL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
URTY ProShares UltraPro Russell2000	52.66%	9.26%	7.38%	24.43%	-62.81%	28.47%	-7.72%	72.37%	-39.59%	38.85%
SPXL Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF	30.87%	31.94%	63.61%	69.49%	-56.55%	98.75%	9.64%	102.80%	-25.11%	71.03%

Correlation

The correlation between URTY and SPXL is 0.79, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.79
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.77
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 12, 2010	0.84

The correlation between URTY and SPXL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.77 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

URTY vs. SPXL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	URTY	SPXL
Financial Services	25.3%	2.6%
Technology	7.3%	8.5%
Industrials	6.4%	1.7%
Healthcare	6.1%	1.9%
Consumer Cyclical	2.9%	2.2%
Energy	2.4%	0.8%
Real Estate	2.2%	0.4%
Basic Materials	1.7%	0.4%
Utilities	1.2%	0.6%
Consumer Defensive	0.8%	1.1%
Communication Services	0.8%	2.4%

Return for Risk

URTY vs. SPXL — Risk / Return Rank

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

URTY

URTY Risk / Return Rank: 68
URTY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
URTY Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
URTY Omega Ratio Rank: 53
URTY Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
URTY Martin Ratio Rank: 73

SPXL

SPXL Risk / Return Rank: 69
SPXL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
SPXL Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
SPXL Omega Ratio Rank: 64
SPXL Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPXL Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

URTY vs. SPXL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) and Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF (SPXL). 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.

	URTY	SPXL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.43	2.52	-0.10
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.81	2.95	-0.14
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.39	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.30	3.43	+0.87
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.15	14.51	-0.35
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

URTY vs. SPXL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current URTY Sharpe Ratio is 2.43, which is comparable to the SPXL Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of URTY and SPXL, 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

	URTY	SPXL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.43	2.52	-0.10
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.08	0.49	-0.58
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.12	0.57	-0.45
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.21	0.53	-0.32

Drawdowns

URTY vs. SPXL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum URTY drawdown since its inception was -88.09%, which is greater than SPXL's maximum drawdown of -76.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for URTY and SPXL.

Drawdown Indicators

	URTY	SPXL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-88.09%	-76.86%	-11.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-32.56%	-26.77%	-5.79%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-65.85%	-48.95%	-16.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-82.76%	-63.80%	-18.96%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-88.09%	-76.86%	-11.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-37.15%	0.00%	-37.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-34.79%	-15.73%	-19.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.89%	6.32%	+3.57%

Volatility

URTY vs. SPXL - Volatility Comparison

ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) has a higher volatility of 16.64% compared to Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF (SPXL) at 8.21%. This indicates that URTY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPXL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	URTY	SPXL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	16.64%	8.21%	+8.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	40.33%	26.62%	+13.71%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	57.15%	35.34%	+21.81%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	67.42%	50.23%	+17.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	69.33%	53.42%	+15.91%

URTY vs. SPXL - Expense Ratio Comparison

URTY has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than SPXL's 0.84% expense ratio.

Dividends

URTY vs. SPXL - Dividend Comparison

URTY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.62%, more than SPXL's 0.51% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
SPXL Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF	0.51%	0.69%	0.74%	0.98%	0.32%	0.11%	0.22%	0.84%	1.02%	3.88%	0.00%
URTY ProShares UltraPro Russell2000	0.62%	1.02%	1.16%	0.55%	0.28%	0.00%	0.00%	0.18%	0.28%	0.00%	0.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both URTY and SPXL in my portfolio?

URTY and SPXL have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, URTY or SPXL?

URTY has higher volatility (16.64%) compared to SPXL (8.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, URTY dropped -88.09% vs SPXL's -76.86%.

Which ETF is better, URTY or SPXL?

On 10-year performance, SPXL leads with 30.47% vs 8.17% for URTY. On fees, SPXL is cheaper at 0.84% per year. On volatility, SPXL has been the lower-risk option at 8.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, URTY or SPXL?

Over the 10-year period, SPXL has performed better with a 30.47% return vs 8.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, URTY or SPXL?

SPXL is cheaper with a 0.84% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for URTY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, URTY or SPXL?

URTY has the higher dividend yield at 0.62%, compared with 0.51% for SPXL.

What is the main difference between URTY and SPXL?

URTY tracks Russell 2000 Index (300%), while SPXL tracks S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Direxion. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for URTY and 0.84% for SPXL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPXL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 2.43), 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.