XJUL vs. QQQY

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

XJUL (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July) and QQQY (Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XJUL is a Options Trading fund actively managed by FT Vest, while QQQY is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by Defiance. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, XJUL returned 10.17% vs 21.17% for QQQY. Their 0.77 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. XJUL charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.99%/yr for QQQY.

Performance

XJUL vs. QQQY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July (XJUL) and Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XJUL achieves a 4.97% return, which is significantly lower than QQQY's 12.11% return.

XJUL

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 0.72%
• 6M: 4.40%
• YTD: 4.97%
• 1Y: 10.17%
• 3Y*: 9.89%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.93%

QQQY

• 1D: 0.50%
• 1M: -3.16%
• 6M: 11.25%
• YTD: 12.11%
• 1Y: 21.17%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 14.80%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF	$1.79M	$2.09M	$2.92M
XJUL FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July	$231.21K	$142.92K	$603.44K

XJUL vs. QQQY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
XJUL FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July	4.97%	10.19%	10.58%	4.18%
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF	12.11%	14.96%	7.70%	7.19%

Correlation

The correlation between XJUL and QQQY is 0.76, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 14, 2023	0.77

The correlation between XJUL and QQQY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XJUL vs. QQQY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

XJUL

XJUL Risk / Return Rank: 91
XJUL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
XJUL Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
XJUL Omega Ratio Rank: 93
XJUL Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
XJUL Martin Ratio Rank: 94

QQQY

QQQY Risk / Return Rank: 46
QQQY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
QQQY Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
QQQY Omega Ratio Rank: 45
QQQY Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
QQQY Martin Ratio Rank: 52

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

XJUL vs. QQQY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July (XJUL) and Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY). 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.

	XJUL	QQQY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.23	1.10	+1.13
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.32	1.54	+1.78
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.49	1.21	+0.28
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.47	1.72	+1.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	18.85	6.07	+12.78

XJUL vs. QQQY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XJUL Sharpe Ratio is 2.23, which is higher than the QQQY Sharpe Ratio of 1.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XJUL and QQQY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

XJUL vs. QQQY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XJUL drawdown since its inception was -9.10%, smaller than the maximum QQQY drawdown of -19.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XJUL and QQQY.

Drawdown Indicators

	XJUL	QQQY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.10%	-19.05%	+9.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.76%	-11.14%	+8.38%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.10%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-6.19%	+6.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.55%	-2.96%	+2.41%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.51%	3.15%	-2.64%

Volatility

XJUL vs. QQQY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July (XJUL) is 1.25%, while Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY) has a volatility of 6.53%. This indicates that XJUL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XJUL	QQQY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.25%	6.53%	-5.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.27%	15.23%	-11.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.29%	17.41%	-13.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.84%	15.75%	-8.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.84%	15.75%	-8.91%

XJUL vs. QQQY - Expense Ratio Comparison

XJUL has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than QQQY's 0.99% expense ratio.

Dividends

XJUL vs. QQQY - Dividend Comparison

XJUL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QQQY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 37.47%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF	37.47%	45.34%	83.34%	20.64%
XJUL FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - July	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XJUL and QQQY in my portfolio?

XJUL and QQQY have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XJUL or QQQY?

QQQY has higher volatility (6.53%) compared to XJUL (1.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XJUL dropped -9.10% vs QQQY's -19.05%.

Which ETF is better, XJUL or QQQY?

On 1-year performance, QQQY leads with 21.17% vs 10.17% for XJUL. On fees, XJUL is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, XJUL has been the lower-risk option at 1.25%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XJUL or QQQY?

Over the 1-year period, QQQY has performed better with a 21.17% return vs 10.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XJUL or QQQY?

XJUL is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for QQQY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XJUL or QQQY?

QQQY has the higher dividend yield at 37.47%, compared with 0.00% for XJUL.

What is the main difference between XJUL and QQQY?

XJUL is categorized as Options Trading, while QQQY is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for XJUL and 0.99% for QQQY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XJUL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.23 vs 1.10), 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.