VXX vs. FMAY
VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) and FMAY (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May) are both exchange-traded funds - VXX is a Volatility fund tracking the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, while FMAY is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index May Series. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VXX returned -46.25%/yr vs 9.14%/yr for FMAY. At a correlation of -0.72, they often move in opposite directions. VXX charges 0.89%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for FMAY.
Performance
VXX vs. FMAY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VXX achieves a -20.17% return, which is significantly lower than FMAY's 5.87% return.
VXX
- 1D
- -2.09%
- 1M
- -12.69%
- 6M
- -17.94%
- YTD
- -20.17%
- 1Y
- -53.25%
- 3Y*
- -40.81%
- 5Y*
- -46.25%
- 10Y*
- -47.06%
FMAY
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- 1.43%
- 6M
- 5.26%
- YTD
- 5.87%
- 1Y
- 12.68%
- 3Y*
- 13.32%
- 5Y*
- 9.14%
- 10Y*
- —
VXX vs. FMAY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VXX iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | -20.17% | -42.21% | -26.22% | -72.52% | -23.80% | -72.41% | -54.13% |
FMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May | 5.87% | 12.69% | 14.45% | 17.83% | -8.08% | 11.00% | 10.80% |
Correlation
The correlation between VXX and FMAY is -0.81, 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 | -0.81 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.77 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.74 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 18, 2020 | -0.72 |
The correlation between VXX and FMAY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from -0.81 to -0.72 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VXX vs. FMAY — Risk / Return Rank
VXX
FMAY
VXX vs. FMAY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) and FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY). 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.
| VXX | FMAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.86 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.28 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.83 | 1.39 | -0.57 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.98 | 2.95 | -3.94 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.59 | 15.23 | -16.82 |
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Drawdowns
VXX vs. FMAY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VXX drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than FMAY's maximum drawdown of -13.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VXX and FMAY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VXX | FMAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -13.60% | -86.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -53.98% | -4.22% | -49.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -80.49% | -13.12% | -67.37% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -96.22% | -13.60% | -82.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.82% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | 0.00% | -100.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -95.09% | -1.99% | -93.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 33.37% | 0.82% | +32.55% |
Volatility
VXX vs. FMAY - Volatility Comparison
iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) has a higher volatility of 15.30% compared to FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - May (FMAY) at 2.73%. This indicates that VXX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FMAY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VXX | FMAY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.30% | 2.73% | +12.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 43.61% | 5.53% | +38.08% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 56.07% | 6.53% | +49.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 67.91% | 10.66% | +57.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 70.27% | 10.15% | +60.12% |
VXX vs. FMAY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VXX has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than FMAY's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
VXX vs. FMAY - Dividend Comparison
Neither VXX nor FMAY has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
VXX and FMAY have a correlation of -0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VXX has higher volatility (15.30%) compared to FMAY (2.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VXX dropped -100.00% vs FMAY's -13.60%.
On 5-year performance, FMAY leads with 9.14% vs -46.25% for VXX. On fees, FMAY is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, FMAY has been the lower-risk option at 2.73%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FMAY has performed better with a 9.14% return vs -46.25%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FMAY is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 0.89% for VXX.
VXX and FMAY have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
VXX is categorized as Volatility, while FMAY is Defined Outcome. VXX tracks S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, while FMAY tracks Cboe S&P 500 Buffer Protect Index May Series. They also come from different issuers: Barclays Capital and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.89% for VXX and 0.85% for FMAY.
FMAY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.91 vs -0.95), 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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