WTIU vs. USO
WTIU (MicroSectors Energy 3X Leveraged ETN) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - WTIU is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Solactive MicroSectors Energy Index - Benchmark TR Gross (--300%), while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, WTIU returned 5.93%/yr vs 29.98%/yr for USO. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. WTIU charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
WTIU vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WTIU achieves a 91.57% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.
WTIU
- 1D
- 4.02%
- 1M
- -7.74%
- YTD
- 91.57%
- 6M
- 66.33%
- 1Y
- 103.25%
- 3Y*
- 5.93%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- 2.62%
- 1M
- -4.57%
- YTD
- 103.67%
- 6M
- 99.35%
- 1Y
- 101.55%
- 3Y*
- 29.98%
- 5Y*
- 24.41%
- 10Y*
- 4.07%
WTIU vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WTIU MicroSectors Energy 3X Leveraged ETN | 91.57% | -17.13% | -29.63% | -28.42% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -3.43% |
Correlation
The correlation between WTIU and USO is 0.68, 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 | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 16, 2023 | 0.64 |
The correlation between WTIU and USO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.64 to 0.68 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
WTIU vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
WTIU
USO
WTIU vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MicroSectors Energy 3X Leveraged ETN (WTIU) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO). 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.
| WTIU | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.89 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.38 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.65 | 5.01 | -2.35 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.55 | 9.42 | -2.87 |
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
| WTIU | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.54 | 2.31 | -0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.68 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.10 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.09 | -0.18 | +0.08 |
Drawdowns
WTIU vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WTIU drawdown since its inception was -75.73%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WTIU and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WTIU | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -75.73% | -98.19% | +22.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -39.11% | -20.39% | -18.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -75.73% | -26.05% | -49.68% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -36.23% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -32.10% | -85.01% | +52.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -39.19% | -75.30% | +36.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 15.83% | 10.82% | +5.01% |
Volatility
WTIU vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
MicroSectors Energy 3X Leveraged ETN (WTIU) has a higher volatility of 27.06% compared to United States Oil Fund LP (USO) at 14.87%. This indicates that WTIU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| WTIU | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 27.06% | 14.87% | +12.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 54.98% | 38.23% | +16.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 67.51% | 44.20% | +23.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 70.62% | 36.06% | +34.56% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 70.62% | 39.00% | +31.62% |
WTIU vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
WTIU has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
WTIU vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
Neither WTIU nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
WTIU and USO have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WTIU has higher volatility (27.06%) compared to USO (14.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WTIU dropped -75.73% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 3-year performance, USO leads with 29.98% vs 5.93% for WTIU. On fees, USO is cheaper at 0.86% per year. On volatility, USO has been the lower-risk option at 14.87%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, USO has performed better with a 29.98% return vs 5.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
USO is cheaper with a 0.86% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for WTIU.
WTIU and USO have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
WTIU is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. WTIU tracks Solactive MicroSectors Energy Index - Benchmark TR Gross (--300%), while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: REX and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for WTIU and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 1.54), 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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