XYLD vs. XLK

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

XYLD (Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF) and XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XYLD is a Derivative Income fund tracking the Cboe S&P 500 BuyWrite Index, while XLK is a Technology Equities fund tracking the S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XYLD returned 8.23%/yr vs 25.04%/yr for XLK. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XYLD charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLK.

Performance

XYLD vs. XLK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XYLD achieves a 4.47% return, which is significantly lower than XLK's 28.09% return. Over the past 10 years, XYLD has underperformed XLK with an annualized return of 8.23%, while XLK has yielded a comparatively higher 25.04% annualized return.

XYLD

• 1D: 0.27%
• 1M: 0.88%
• YTD: 4.47%
• 6M: 5.83%
• 1Y: 16.60%
• 3Y*: 10.96%
• 5Y*: 7.62%
• 10Y*: 8.23%

XLK

• 1D: 2.15%
• 1M: 4.93%
• YTD: 28.09%
• 6M: 25.10%
• 1Y: 55.42%
• 3Y*: 31.33%
• 5Y*: 22.26%
• 10Y*: 25.04%

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

XYLD vs. XLK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XYLD Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF	4.47%	8.02%	19.49%	11.10%	-12.05%	19.59%	-0.56%	21.41%	-6.09%	16.49%
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	28.09%	24.61%	21.63%	56.02%	-27.73%	34.74%	43.62%	49.86%	-1.68%	34.26%

Correlation

The correlation between XYLD and XLK is 0.74, 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	0.74
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.75
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 24, 2013	0.73

The correlation between XYLD and XLK has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.73 to 0.79 - a consistent structural relationship.

XYLD vs. XLK - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XYLD	XLK
Technology	35.6%	99.7%
Financial Services	11.8%	-
Communication Services	11.2%	-
Consumer Cyclical	10.2%	-
Healthcare	8.5%	-
Industrials	8.3%	0.1%
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	-
Energy	3.5%	0.2%
Utilities	2.3%	-
Real Estate	1.9%	-
Basic Materials	1.8%	-

Return for Risk

XYLD vs. XLK — Risk / Return Rank

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

XYLD

XYLD Risk / Return Rank: 84
XYLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
XYLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
XYLD Omega Ratio Rank: 93
XYLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
XYLD Martin Ratio Rank: 86

XLK

XLK Risk / Return Rank: 77
XLK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
XLK Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
XLK Omega Ratio Rank: 79
XLK Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
XLK Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

XYLD vs. XLK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). 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.

	XYLD	XLK	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.53	2.53	0.00
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.58	3.06	+0.52
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.59	1.42	+0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.15	3.50	-0.35
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.73	11.58	+5.15
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XYLD vs. XLK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XYLD Sharpe Ratio is 2.53, which is comparable to the XLK Sharpe Ratio of 2.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XYLD and XLK, 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

	XYLD	XLK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.53	2.53	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.68	0.89	-0.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58	1.02	-0.44
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.60	0.41	+0.19

Drawdowns

XYLD vs. XLK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XYLD drawdown since its inception was -33.46%, smaller than the maximum XLK drawdown of -82.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XYLD and XLK.

Drawdown Indicators

	XYLD	XLK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.46%	-82.05%	+48.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.29%	-15.92%	+10.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.53%	-25.66%	+10.13%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.66%	-33.56%	+14.90%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.46%	-33.56%	+0.10%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.64%	-7.08%	+6.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.72%	-34.95%	+31.23%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.99%	4.80%	-3.81%

Volatility

XYLD vs. XLK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD) is 1.33%, while State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has a volatility of 10.42%. This indicates that XYLD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XLK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XYLD	XLK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.33%	10.42%	-9.09%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.46%	18.32%	-12.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.60%	22.08%	-15.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.23%	25.10%	-13.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.21%	24.60%	-10.39%

XYLD vs. XLK - Expense Ratio Comparison

XYLD has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than XLK's 0.08% expense ratio.

Dividends

XYLD vs. XLK - Dividend Comparison

XYLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.57%, more than XLK's 0.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	0.41%	0.54%	0.66%	0.76%	1.04%	0.65%	0.92%	1.16%	1.60%	1.37%	1.74%	1.79%
XYLD Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF	10.57%	10.51%	11.54%	10.51%	13.43%	9.07%	7.93%	5.76%	7.12%	5.18%	3.23%	4.65%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XYLD and XLK in my portfolio?

XYLD and XLK have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XYLD or XLK?

XLK has higher volatility (10.42%) compared to XYLD (1.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XYLD dropped -33.46% vs XLK's -82.05%.

Which ETF is better, XYLD or XLK?

On 10-year performance, XLK leads with 25.04% vs 8.23% for XYLD. On fees, XLK is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, XYLD has been the lower-risk option at 1.33%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XYLD or XLK?

Over the 10-year period, XLK has performed better with a 25.04% return vs 8.23%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XYLD or XLK?

XLK is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for XYLD.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XYLD or XLK?

XYLD has the higher dividend yield at 10.57%, compared with 0.41% for XLK.

What is the main difference between XYLD and XLK?

XYLD is categorized as Derivative Income, while XLK is Technology Equities. XYLD tracks Cboe S&P 500 BuyWrite Index, while XLK tracks S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. They also come from different issuers: Global X and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for XYLD and 0.08% for XLK.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XYLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.53 vs 2.53), 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.