XISE vs. CAOS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XISE (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Premium Income ETF – September) and CAOS (Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF) are both Options Trading funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, XISE returned 6.80% vs 1.88% for CAOS. At a correlation of -0.15, they often move in opposite directions. XISE charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.63%/yr for CAOS.

Performance

XISE vs. CAOS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Premium Income ETF – September (XISE) and Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XISE achieves a 3.00% return, which is significantly higher than CAOS's 0.82% return.

XISE

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: 0.75%
• YTD: 3.00%
• 6M: 3.75%
• 1Y: 6.80%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

CAOS

• 1D: 0.12%
• 1M: -0.09%
• YTD: 0.82%
• 6M: 0.69%
• 1Y: 1.88%
• 3Y*: 4.26%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

XISE vs. CAOS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
XISE FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Premium Income ETF – September	3.00%	6.42%	5.70%	3.09%
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.82%	2.55%	5.33%	1.50%

Correlation

The correlation between XISE and CAOS is -0.39, 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	-0.39
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 19, 2023	-0.15

Over the past year, the inverse relationship between XISE and CAOS has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.15 to -0.39, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.

XISE vs. CAOS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XISE	CAOS
Technology	36.2%	33.1%
Financial Services	11.9%	12.4%
Communication Services	10.9%	10.4%
Consumer Cyclical	10.1%	10.0%
Healthcare	8.4%	9.6%
Industrials	8.1%	8.5%
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	5.4%
Energy	3.5%	4.1%
Utilities	2.3%	2.6%
Real Estate	1.9%	2.0%
Basic Materials	1.8%	1.9%

Return for Risk

XISE vs. CAOS — Risk / Return Rank

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

XISE

XISE Risk / Return Rank: 80
XISE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
XISE Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
XISE Omega Ratio Rank: 87
XISE Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
XISE Martin Ratio Rank: 90

CAOS

CAOS Risk / Return Rank: 40
CAOS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 34
CAOS Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
CAOS Omega Ratio Rank: 39
CAOS Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
CAOS Martin Ratio Rank: 39

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.

XISE vs. CAOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Premium Income ETF – September (XISE) and Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS). 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.

	XISE	CAOS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.31	1.24	+1.07
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.59	1.98	+1.61
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.53	1.26	+0.28
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.64	2.49	+1.15
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	20.31	6.22	+14.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XISE vs. CAOS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XISE Sharpe Ratio is 2.31, which is higher than the CAOS Sharpe Ratio of 1.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XISE and CAOS, 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

	XISE	CAOS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.31	1.24	+1.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.39	1.21	+0.18

Drawdowns

XISE vs. CAOS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XISE drawdown since its inception was -6.17%, which is greater than CAOS's maximum drawdown of -3.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XISE and CAOS.

Drawdown Indicators

	XISE	CAOS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-6.17%	-3.60%	-2.57%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.88%	-0.76%	-1.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-3.60%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.02%	-1.07%	+1.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.24%	-0.90%	+0.66%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.34%	0.30%	+0.04%

Volatility

XISE vs. CAOS - Volatility Comparison

FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Premium Income ETF – September (XISE) has a higher volatility of 0.37% compared to Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS) at 0.26%. This indicates that XISE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CAOS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XISE	CAOS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.37%	0.26%	+0.11%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.33%	1.03%	+1.30%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.96%	1.52%	+1.44%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.92%	4.26%	+0.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.92%	4.26%	+0.66%

XISE vs. CAOS - Expense Ratio Comparison

XISE has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than CAOS's 0.63% expense ratio.

Dividends

XISE vs. CAOS - Dividend Comparison

XISE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.92%, while CAOS has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XISE FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Premium Income ETF – September	5.92%	5.81%	7.04%	1.20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XISE and CAOS in my portfolio?

XISE and CAOS have a correlation of -0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XISE or CAOS?

XISE has higher volatility (0.37%) compared to CAOS (0.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XISE dropped -6.17% vs CAOS's -3.60%.

Which ETF is better, XISE or CAOS?

On 1-year performance, XISE leads with 6.80% vs 1.88% for CAOS. On fees, CAOS is cheaper at 0.63% per year. On volatility, CAOS has been the lower-risk option at 0.26%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XISE or CAOS?

Over the 1-year period, XISE has performed better with a 6.80% return vs 1.88%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XISE or CAOS?

CAOS is cheaper with a 0.63% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for XISE.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XISE or CAOS?

XISE has the higher dividend yield at 5.92%, compared with 0.00% for CAOS.

What is the main difference between XISE and CAOS?

They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and Alpha Architect. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for XISE and 0.63% for CAOS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XISE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 1.24), 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.