XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XEXP.TO (iShares Exponential Technologies Index ETF) and HXQ.TO (Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XEXP.TO is a Technology Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Exponential Technologies Index, while HXQ.TO is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XEXP.TO returned 17.73%/yr vs 30.08%/yr for HXQ.TO. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XEXP.TO charges 0.44%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for HXQ.TO.

Performance

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares Exponential Technologies Index ETF (XEXP.TO) and Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XEXP.TO achieves a 21.53% return, which is significantly lower than HXQ.TO's 22.84% return.

XEXP.TO

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: 11.43%
• YTD: 21.53%
• 6M: 13.91%
• 1Y: 41.18%
• 3Y*: 17.73%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HXQ.TO

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: 13.01%
• YTD: 22.84%
• 6M: 19.20%
• 1Y: 43.40%
• 3Y*: 30.08%
• 5Y*: 21.13%
• 10Y*: 22.59%

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

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
XEXP.TO iShares Exponential Technologies Index ETF	21.53%	13.97%	9.27%	24.40%	1.69%
HXQ.TO Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF	22.84%	15.05%	35.98%	51.16%	-11.44%

Correlation

The correlation between XEXP.TO and HXQ.TO is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.36
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 4, 2022	0.34

Return for Risk

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XEXP.TO

XEXP.TO Risk / Return Rank: 73
XEXP.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
XEXP.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
XEXP.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 81
XEXP.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
XEXP.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 60

HXQ.TO

HXQ.TO Risk / Return Rank: 75
HXQ.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
HXQ.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
HXQ.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 80
HXQ.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
HXQ.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 62

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.

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Exponential Technologies Index ETF (XEXP.TO) and Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO). 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.

	XEXP.TO	HXQ.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.51	2.80	-0.29
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.36	3.65	-0.29
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.49	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.42	3.51	-0.09
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.64	11.28	-0.65
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XEXP.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.51, which is comparable to the HXQ.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.80. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XEXP.TO and HXQ.TO, 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

	XEXP.TO	HXQ.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.51	2.80	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.02	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.09	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.92	1.08	-0.16

Drawdowns

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XEXP.TO drawdown since its inception was -22.44%, smaller than the maximum HXQ.TO drawdown of -31.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XEXP.TO and HXQ.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XEXP.TO	HXQ.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.44%	-31.60%	+9.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.10%	-12.43%	+0.33%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.44%	-22.58%	+0.14%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-31.60%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-31.60%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.99%	-5.75%	+1.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.88%	3.86%	+0.02%

Volatility

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Volatility Comparison

iShares Exponential Technologies Index ETF (XEXP.TO) has a higher volatility of 5.54% compared to Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO) at 4.63%. This indicates that XEXP.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HXQ.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XEXP.TO	HXQ.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.54%	4.63%	+0.91%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.89%	11.81%	+1.08%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.48%	15.62%	+0.86%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.92%	20.76%	-1.84%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.92%	20.83%	-1.91%

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XEXP.TO has a 0.44% expense ratio, which is higher than HXQ.TO's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

XEXP.TO vs. HXQ.TO - Dividend Comparison

XEXP.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.54%, while HXQ.TO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
HXQ.TO Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XEXP.TO iShares Exponential Technologies Index ETF	0.54%	0.65%	0.80%	0.63%	0.21%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XEXP.TO and HXQ.TO in my portfolio?

XEXP.TO and HXQ.TO have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XEXP.TO or HXQ.TO?

On fees, HXQ.TO is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XEXP.TO or HXQ.TO?

HXQ.TO is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.44% for XEXP.TO.

What is the main difference between XEXP.TO and HXQ.TO?

XEXP.TO is categorized as Technology Equities, while HXQ.TO is Nasdaq-100. XEXP.TO tracks Morningstar Exponential Technologies Index, while HXQ.TO tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Horizons. Their fees differ too: 0.44% for XEXP.TO and 0.25% for HXQ.TO.