USDU vs. TLT
USDU (WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - USDU is a Currency fund actively managed by WisdomTree, while TLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. USDU is actively managed, while TLT is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, USDU returned 2.72%/yr vs -1.66%/yr for TLT. At a correlation of -0.16, they often move in opposite directions. USDU charges 0.51%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for TLT.
Performance
USDU vs. TLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USDU achieves a 1.90% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's -0.27% return. Over the past 10 years, USDU has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 2.72%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.66% annualized return.
USDU
- 1D
- 0.23%
- 1M
- 1.27%
- YTD
- 1.90%
- 6M
- 1.57%
- 1Y
- 4.16%
- 3Y*
- 4.53%
- 5Y*
- 5.49%
- 10Y*
- 2.72%
TLT
- 1D
- -0.40%
- 1M
- 0.81%
- YTD
- -0.27%
- 6M
- -2.02%
- 1Y
- 4.93%
- 3Y*
- -1.80%
- 5Y*
- -6.31%
- 10Y*
- -1.66%
USDU vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USDU WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund | 1.90% | -3.14% | 14.56% | 3.10% | 7.67% | 4.07% | -5.43% | 1.54% | 5.40% | -7.44% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.27% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between USDU and TLT is -0.42, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.42 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.35 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.25 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.18 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 19, 2013 | -0.16 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between USDU and TLT has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.16 to -0.42, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
USDU vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank
USDU
TLT
USDU vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund (USDU) 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.
| USDU | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.24 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.13 | 1.09 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.15 | 0.65 | +0.49 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.12 | 1.63 | +1.49 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| USDU | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.74 | 0.51 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 | -0.40 | +1.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 | -0.11 | +0.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.44 | 0.26 | +0.18 |
Drawdowns
USDU vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USDU drawdown since its inception was -14.54%, smaller than the maximum TLT drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USDU and TLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USDU | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.54% | -48.35% | +33.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.64% | -7.58% | +3.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.73% | -19.18% | +11.45% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.28% | -43.70% | +34.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.54% | -48.35% | +33.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.25% | -40.44% | +38.19% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.72% | -13.82% | +9.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.34% | 3.04% | -1.70% |
Volatility
USDU vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund (USDU) is 1.24%, while iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) has a volatility of 2.76%. This indicates that USDU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| USDU | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.24% | 2.76% | -1.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.31% | 6.50% | -2.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.66% | 9.77% | -4.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.62% | 15.87% | -9.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.46% | 14.91% | -7.45% |
USDU vs. TLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
USDU has a 0.51% expense ratio, which is higher than TLT's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
USDU vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison
USDU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.76%, less than TLT's 4.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.59% | 4.43% | 4.30% | 3.38% | 2.67% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 2.43% | 2.60% | 2.61% |
USDU WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund | 3.76% | 3.83% | 3.97% | 6.99% | 7.83% | 0.00% | 0.69% | 3.06% | 0.88% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 6.48% |
Frequently Asked Questions
USDU and TLT have a correlation of -0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
TLT has higher volatility (2.76%) compared to USDU (1.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USDU dropped -14.54% vs TLT's -48.35%.
On 10-year performance, USDU leads with 2.72% vs -1.66% for TLT. On fees, TLT is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, USDU has been the lower-risk option at 1.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, USDU has performed better with a 2.72% return vs -1.66%. 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 0.51% for USDU.
TLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.59%, compared with 3.76% for USDU.
USDU is categorized as Currency, while TLT is Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: WisdomTree and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.51% for USDU and 0.15% for TLT.
USDU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.74 vs 0.51), 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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