YCL vs. VABS

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

YCL (ProShares Ultra Yen) and VABS (Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - YCL is a Leveraged Currency fund tracking the USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%), while VABS is a Mortgage Backed Securities fund actively managed by Virtus. YCL is passively managed, while VABS is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, YCL returned -19.30%/yr vs 3.26%/yr for VABS. Their 0.43 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. YCL charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for VABS.

Performance

YCL vs. VABS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares Ultra Yen (YCL) and Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, YCL achieves a -5.82% return, which is significantly lower than VABS's 2.04% return.

YCL

• 1D: 0.22%
• 1M: 1.24%
• 6M: -7.85%
• YTD: -5.82%
• 1Y: -18.77%
• 3Y*: -13.30%
• 5Y*: -19.30%
• 10Y*: -13.42%
• ALL TIME*: -9.77%

VABS

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 0.13%
• 6M: 1.54%
• YTD: 2.04%
• 1Y: 3.38%
• 3Y*: 6.16%
• 5Y*: 3.26%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 3.14%

*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)
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	$47.74K	$55.28K	$583.29K
YCL ProShares Ultra Yen	$965.32K	$858.06K	$714.31K

YCL vs. VABS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
YCL ProShares Ultra Yen	-5.82%	-6.34%	-25.97%	-20.46%	-26.92%	-18.76%
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	2.04%	5.40%	7.59%	7.61%	-5.24%	0.37%

Correlation

The correlation between YCL and VABS is 0.36, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.36
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.41
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 10, 2021	0.43

Return for Risk

YCL vs. VABS — Risk / Return Rank

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

YCL

YCL Risk / Return Rank: 3
YCL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
YCL Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
YCL Omega Ratio Rank: 2
YCL Calmar Ratio Rank: 4
YCL Martin Ratio Rank: 4

VABS

VABS Risk / Return Rank: 85
VABS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
VABS Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
VABS Omega Ratio Rank: 91
VABS Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
VABS Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

YCL vs. VABS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Ultra Yen (YCL) and Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS). 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.

	YCL	VABS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.91	1.98	-2.89
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.40	2.72	-4.12
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.85	1.43	-0.59
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.65	3.80	-4.45
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.03	9.93	-10.96

YCL vs. VABS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current YCL Sharpe Ratio is -0.91, which is lower than the VABS Sharpe Ratio of 1.98. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of YCL and VABS, 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

YCL vs. VABS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum YCL drawdown since its inception was -88.74%, which is greater than VABS's maximum drawdown of -7.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for YCL and VABS.

Drawdown Indicators

	YCL	VABS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-88.74%	-7.12%	-81.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-23.28%	-0.98%	-22.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-39.44%	-1.42%	-38.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-67.75%	-7.12%	-60.63%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-77.87%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-88.15%	-0.12%	-88.03%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-53.42%	-1.38%	-52.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	14.60%	0.38%	+14.22%

Volatility

YCL vs. VABS - Volatility Comparison

ProShares Ultra Yen (YCL) has a higher volatility of 5.60% compared to Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) at 0.47%. This indicates that YCL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VABS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	YCL	VABS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.60%	0.47%	+5.13%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.00%	1.14%	+9.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.66%	1.89%	+14.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.60%	2.31%	+18.29%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.20%	2.22%	+15.98%

YCL vs. VABS - Expense Ratio Comparison

YCL has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than VABS's 0.39% expense ratio.

Dividends

YCL vs. VABS - Dividend Comparison

YCL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VABS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.03%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	5.03%	4.94%	5.05%	4.13%	2.47%	1.47%
YCL ProShares Ultra Yen	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both YCL and VABS in my portfolio?

YCL and VABS 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 is riskier, YCL or VABS?

YCL has higher volatility (5.60%) compared to VABS (0.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, YCL dropped -88.74% vs VABS's -7.12%.

Which ETF is better, YCL or VABS?

On 5-year performance, VABS leads with 3.26% vs -19.30% for YCL. On fees, VABS is cheaper at 0.39% per year. On volatility, VABS has been the lower-risk option at 0.47%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, YCL or VABS?

Over the 5-year period, VABS has performed better with a 3.26% return vs -19.30%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, YCL or VABS?

VABS is cheaper with a 0.39% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for YCL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, YCL or VABS?

VABS has the higher dividend yield at 5.03%, compared with 0.00% for YCL.

What is the main difference between YCL and VABS?

YCL is categorized as Leveraged Currency, while VABS is Mortgage Backed Securities. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Virtus. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for YCL and 0.39% for VABS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VABS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.98 vs -0.91), 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.