YQQQ vs. QLD
YQQQ (YieldMax Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF) and QLD (ProShares Ultra QQQ) are both exchange-traded funds - YQQQ is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while QLD is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index (200%). YQQQ is actively managed, while QLD is passively managed. Over the past year, YQQQ returned -14.25% vs 85.49% for QLD. At a correlation of -0.95, they often move in opposite directions. YQQQ charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for QLD.
Performance
YQQQ vs. QLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, YQQQ achieves a -8.94% return, which is significantly lower than QLD's 42.06% return.
YQQQ
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- -7.64%
- YTD
- -8.94%
- 6M
- -6.62%
- 1Y
- -14.25%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
QLD
- 1D
- -0.53%
- 1M
- 21.54%
- YTD
- 42.06%
- 6M
- 37.45%
- 1Y
- 85.49%
- 3Y*
- 50.15%
- 5Y*
- 25.75%
- 10Y*
- 36.10%
YQQQ vs. QLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
YQQQ YieldMax Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF | -8.94% | -9.97% | -4.06% |
QLD ProShares Ultra QQQ | 42.06% | 30.36% | 12.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between YQQQ and QLD is -0.95, 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 | -0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 16, 2024 | -0.95 |
The correlation between YQQQ and QLD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from -0.95 to -0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
YQQQ vs. QLD — Risk / Return Rank
YQQQ
QLD
YQQQ vs. QLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for YieldMax Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF (YQQQ) and ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD). 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.
| YQQQ | QLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.85 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.83 | 1.41 | -0.59 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.69 | 3.42 | -4.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.68 | 11.92 | -13.59 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| YQQQ | QLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -1.14 | 2.70 | -3.85 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.58 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.81 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.77 | 0.60 | -1.37 |
Drawdowns
YQQQ vs. QLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum YQQQ drawdown since its inception was -28.21%, smaller than the maximum QLD drawdown of -83.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for YQQQ and QLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| YQQQ | QLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.21% | -83.13% | +54.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.82% | -25.13% | +4.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -42.29% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -63.68% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -63.68% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -28.17% | -0.53% | -27.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.22% | -18.17% | +3.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.52% | 7.20% | +1.32% |
Volatility
YQQQ vs. QLD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for YieldMax Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF (YQQQ) is 3.90%, while ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD) has a volatility of 8.90%. This indicates that YQQQ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| YQQQ | QLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.90% | 8.90% | -5.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.87% | 24.08% | -14.21% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.51% | 31.85% | -19.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.26% | 44.74% | -28.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.26% | 44.56% | -28.30% |
YQQQ vs. QLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
YQQQ has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than QLD's 0.95% expense ratio.
Dividends
YQQQ vs. QLD - Dividend Comparison
YQQQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 31.75%, more than QLD's 0.12% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QLD ProShares Ultra QQQ | 0.12% | 0.17% | 0.25% | 0.33% | 0.31% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.13% | 0.06% | 0.02% | 0.21% | 0.11% |
YQQQ YieldMax Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF | 31.75% | 31.71% | 7.88% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
YQQQ and QLD have a correlation of -0.95, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
QLD has higher volatility (8.90%) compared to YQQQ (3.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, YQQQ dropped -28.21% vs QLD's -83.13%.
On 1-year performance, QLD leads with 85.49% vs -14.25% for YQQQ. On fees, QLD is cheaper at 0.95% per year. On volatility, YQQQ has been the lower-risk option at 3.90%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, QLD has performed better with a 85.49% return vs -14.25%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
QLD is cheaper with a 0.95% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for YQQQ.
YQQQ has the higher dividend yield at 31.75%, compared with 0.12% for QLD.
YQQQ is categorized as Derivative Income, while QLD is Leveraged Equities. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for YQQQ and 0.95% for QLD.
QLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.70 vs -1.14), 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.
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