USRD vs. DFND

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

USRD (Themes US R&D Champions ETF) and DFND (Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF) are both Large Cap Blend Equities funds - USRD tracks the Solactive US R&D Champions Index while DFND tracks the Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, USRD returned 31.55% vs 0.20% for DFND. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. USRD charges 0.29%/yr vs 1.50%/yr for DFND.

Performance

USRD vs. DFND - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Themes US R&D Champions ETF (USRD) and Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

USRD

• 1D: -1.22%
• 1M: 13.66%
• YTD: 19.83%
• 6M: 18.09%
• 1Y: 31.55%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

DFND

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: 0.00%
• 6M: -1.09%
• 1Y: 0.20%
• 3Y*: 7.91%
• 5Y*: 4.54%
• 10Y*: 7.16%

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

USRD vs. DFND - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
USRD Themes US R&D Champions ETF	19.83%	12.44%	15.53%	3.66%
DFND Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF	0.00%	10.37%	8.48%	-3.55%

Correlation

The correlation between USRD and DFND is 0.10, 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	0.10
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 14, 2023	0.11

USRD vs. DFND - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	USRD	DFND
Technology	58.5%	24.8%
Healthcare	14.4%	10.7%
Industrials	9.3%	17.1%
Communication Services	7.2%	0.8%
Consumer Cyclical	5.4%	3.5%
Basic Materials	2.1%	4.3%
Consumer Defensive	1.9%	4.2%
Real Estate	1.1%	2.0%
Energy	-	1.7%
Financial Services	-	18.2%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

USRD vs. DFND — Risk / Return Rank

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

USRD

USRD Risk / Return Rank: 52
USRD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
USRD Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
USRD Omega Ratio Rank: 53
USRD Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
USRD Martin Ratio Rank: 45

DFND

DFND Risk / Return Rank: 9
DFND Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
DFND Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
DFND Omega Ratio Rank: 8
DFND Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
DFND Martin Ratio Rank: 9

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.

USRD vs. DFND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Themes US R&D Champions ETF (USRD) and Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND). 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.

	USRD	DFND	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.89	0.02	+1.87
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.63	0.11	+2.52
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.02	+0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.35	0.07	+2.28
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.30	0.13	+7.17
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USRD vs. DFND - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USRD Sharpe Ratio is 1.89, which is higher than the DFND Sharpe Ratio of 0.02. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USRD and DFND, 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

	USRD	DFND	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.89	0.02	+1.87
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.21	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.38	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.12	0.36	+0.76

Drawdowns

USRD vs. DFND - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USRD drawdown since its inception was -23.79%, which is greater than DFND's maximum drawdown of -22.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USRD and DFND.

Drawdown Indicators

	USRD	DFND	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-23.79%	-22.65%	-1.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.49%	-3.44%	-10.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-12.56%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-22.65%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.65%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.22%	-3.69%	+2.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.70%	-5.70%	+2.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.33%	3.70%	+0.63%

Volatility

USRD vs. DFND - Volatility Comparison

Themes US R&D Champions ETF (USRD) has a higher volatility of 5.55% compared to Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND) at 0.00%. This indicates that USRD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	USRD	DFND	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.55%	0.00%	+5.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.33%	6.16%	+7.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.79%	10.92%	+5.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.24%	22.46%	-3.22%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.24%	19.09%	+0.15%

USRD vs. DFND - Expense Ratio Comparison

USRD has a 0.29% expense ratio, which is lower than DFND's 1.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

USRD vs. DFND - Dividend Comparison

USRD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.35%, less than DFND's 0.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DFND Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF	0.62%	1.10%	1.64%	1.84%	0.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.77%	0.53%	0.02%
USRD Themes US R&D Champions ETF	0.35%	0.42%	2.44%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both USRD and DFND in my portfolio?

USRD and DFND have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, USRD or DFND?

USRD has higher volatility (5.55%) compared to DFND (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USRD dropped -23.79% vs DFND's -22.65%.

Which ETF is better, USRD or DFND?

On 1-year performance, USRD leads with 31.55% vs 0.20% for DFND. On fees, USRD is cheaper at 0.29% per year. On volatility, DFND has been the lower-risk option at 0.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, USRD or DFND?

Over the 1-year period, USRD has performed better with a 31.55% return vs 0.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, USRD or DFND?

USRD is cheaper with a 0.29% expense ratio, compared with 1.50% for DFND.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, USRD or DFND?

DFND has the higher dividend yield at 0.62%, compared with 0.35% for USRD.

What is the main difference between USRD and DFND?

USRD tracks Solactive US R&D Champions Index, while DFND tracks Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender Index. They also come from different issuers: Themes and SRN Advisors. Their fees differ too: 0.29% for USRD and 1.50% for DFND.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USRD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.89 vs 0.02), 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.