XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XUSC.TO (iShares S&P 500 3% Capped Index ETF (CAD Units)) and XQQ.TO (iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)) are both exchange-traded funds - XUSC.TO is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 3% Capped Index, while XQQ.TO is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the Morningstar US Market TR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, XUSC.TO returned 27.68% vs 38.49% for XQQ.TO. A 0.77 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XUSC.TO charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for XQQ.TO.

Performance

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares S&P 500 3% Capped Index ETF (CAD Units) (XUSC.TO) and iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XQQ.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XUSC.TO achieves a 12.69% return, which is significantly lower than XQQ.TO's 19.81% return.

XUSC.TO

• 1D: 0.23%
• 1M: 7.55%
• YTD: 12.69%
• 6M: 10.97%
• 1Y: 27.68%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XQQ.TO

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: 10.58%
• YTD: 19.81%
• 6M: 18.06%
• 1Y: 38.49%
• 3Y*: 26.43%
• 5Y*: 15.31%
• 10Y*: 19.70%

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

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
XUSC.TO iShares S&P 500 3% Capped Index ETF (CAD Units)	12.69%	11.40%	11.76%
XQQ.TO iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	19.81%	18.38%	6.22%

Correlation

The correlation between XUSC.TO and XQQ.TO is 0.75, 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	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 19, 2024	0.77

The correlation between XUSC.TO and XQQ.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XUSC.TO

XUSC.TO Risk / Return Rank: 75
XUSC.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
XUSC.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
XUSC.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 75
XUSC.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
XUSC.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 72

XQQ.TO

XQQ.TO Risk / Return Rank: 66
XQQ.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
XQQ.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
XQQ.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 68
XQQ.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
XQQ.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.

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P 500 3% Capped Index ETF (CAD Units) (XUSC.TO) and iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XQQ.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.

	XUSC.TO	XQQ.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.43	2.45	-0.02
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.39	3.20	+0.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.42	+0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.66	3.03	+0.63
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.42	11.31	+2.11
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XUSC.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.43, which is comparable to the XQQ.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XUSC.TO and XQQ.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

	XUSC.TO	XQQ.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.43	2.45	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.68	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.89	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.27	0.86	+0.41

Drawdowns

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XUSC.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.31%, smaller than the maximum XQQ.TO drawdown of -38.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XUSC.TO and XQQ.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XUSC.TO	XQQ.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.31%	-38.55%	+20.24%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.60%	-12.76%	+5.16%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-22.72%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-38.55%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-38.55%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.27%	+0.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.67%	-5.92%	+3.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.07%	3.41%	-1.34%

Volatility

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares S&P 500 3% Capped Index ETF (CAD Units) (XUSC.TO) is 2.61%, while iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XQQ.TO) has a volatility of 4.48%. This indicates that XUSC.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XQQ.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XUSC.TO	XQQ.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.61%	4.48%	-1.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.51%	12.00%	-3.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.46%	15.82%	-4.36%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.72%	22.52%	-6.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.72%	22.34%	-6.62%

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XUSC.TO has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than XQQ.TO's 0.39% expense ratio.

Dividends

XUSC.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Dividend Comparison

XUSC.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.84%, more than XQQ.TO's 0.21% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XQQ.TO iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	0.21%	0.25%	0.32%	0.31%	0.43%	0.17%	0.26%	0.46%	0.52%	0.53%	0.76%	0.62%
XUSC.TO iShares S&P 500 3% Capped Index ETF (CAD Units)	0.84%	0.94%	0.24%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XUSC.TO and XQQ.TO in my portfolio?

XUSC.TO and XQQ.TO have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XUSC.TO or XQQ.TO?

On fees, XUSC.TO is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XUSC.TO or XQQ.TO?

XUSC.TO is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for XQQ.TO.

What is the main difference between XUSC.TO and XQQ.TO?

XUSC.TO is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while XQQ.TO is Nasdaq-100. XUSC.TO tracks S&P 500 3% Capped Index, while XQQ.TO tracks Morningstar US Market TR CAD. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XUSC.TO and 0.39% for XQQ.TO.