ZSC vs. UNG

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

ZSC (USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund) and UNG (United States Natural Gas Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - ZSC is a Commodities fund actively managed by USCF, while UNG is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Natural Gas Futures. ZSC is actively managed, while UNG is passively managed. Over the past year, ZSC returned 29.04% vs -26.14% for UNG. Their 0.06 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. ZSC charges 0.59%/yr vs 1.17%/yr for UNG.

Performance

ZSC vs. UNG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund (ZSC) and United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZSC achieves a 5.92% return, which is significantly higher than UNG's -17.94% return.

ZSC

• 1D: -0.88%
• 1M: 0.51%
• 6M: 3.11%
• YTD: 5.92%
• 1Y: 29.04%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 1.35%

UNG

• 1D: 0.50%
• 1M: -13.13%
• 6M: -40.47%
• YTD: -17.94%
• 1Y: -26.14%
• 3Y*: -28.64%
• 5Y*: -28.82%
• 10Y*: -22.61%
• ALL TIME*: -28.48%

*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)
UNG United States Natural Gas Fund LP	$82.18M	$81.43M	$85.25M
ZSC USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund	$3.54K	$12.33K	$12.42K

ZSC vs. UNG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ZSC USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund	5.92%	28.43%	-14.39%	-10.63%
UNG United States Natural Gas Fund LP	-17.94%	-27.07%	-17.11%	-32.58%

Correlation

The correlation between ZSC and UNG is 0.10, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.10
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 9, 2023	0.06

Return for Risk

ZSC vs. UNG — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZSC

ZSC Risk / Return Rank: 86
ZSC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
ZSC Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
ZSC Omega Ratio Rank: 90
ZSC Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
ZSC Martin Ratio Rank: 74

UNG

UNG Risk / Return Rank: 5
UNG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
UNG Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
UNG Omega Ratio Rank: 6
UNG Calmar Ratio Rank: 4
UNG Martin Ratio Rank: 4

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.

ZSC vs. UNG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund (ZSC) and United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG). 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.

	ZSC	UNG	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.20	-0.44	+2.64
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.93	-0.29	+3.21
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	0.96	+0.45
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.67	-0.62	+4.29
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.13	-1.04	+10.17

ZSC vs. UNG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZSC Sharpe Ratio is 2.20, which is higher than the UNG Sharpe Ratio of -0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZSC and UNG, 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

ZSC vs. UNG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZSC drawdown since its inception was -26.49%, smaller than the maximum UNG drawdown of -99.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZSC and UNG.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZSC	UNG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.49%	-99.88%	+73.39%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.69%	-42.01%	+34.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-69.26%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-92.75%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-93.77%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.87%	-99.88%	+94.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.19%	-90.02%	+75.83%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.09%	25.13%	-22.04%

Volatility

ZSC vs. UNG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund (ZSC) is 3.21%, while United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG) has a volatility of 10.03%. This indicates that ZSC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UNG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZSC	UNG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.21%	10.03%	-6.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.88%	42.08%	-33.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.86%	59.01%	-46.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.19%	64.14%	-51.95%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.19%	54.70%	-42.51%

ZSC vs. UNG - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZSC has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is lower than UNG's 1.17% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZSC vs. UNG - Dividend Comparison

ZSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.65%, while UNG has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
UNG United States Natural Gas Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ZSC USCF Sustainable Commodity Strategy Fund	1.65%	1.75%	2.18%	1.40%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZSC and UNG in my portfolio?

ZSC and UNG have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ZSC or UNG?

UNG has higher volatility (10.03%) compared to ZSC (3.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ZSC dropped -26.49% vs UNG's -99.88%.

Which ETF is better, ZSC or UNG?

On 1-year performance, ZSC leads with 29.04% vs -26.14% for UNG. On fees, ZSC is cheaper at 0.59% per year. On volatility, ZSC has been the lower-risk option at 3.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ZSC or UNG?

Over the 1-year period, ZSC has performed better with a 29.04% return vs -26.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZSC or UNG?

ZSC is cheaper with a 0.59% expense ratio, compared with 1.17% for UNG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ZSC or UNG?

ZSC has the higher dividend yield at 1.65%, compared with 0.00% for UNG.

What is the main difference between ZSC and UNG?

ZSC is categorized as Commodities, while UNG is Oil & Gas. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for ZSC and 1.17% for UNG.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ZSC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.20 vs -0.44), 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.