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LIVE
QYLD
Global X Nasdaq-100 Covered Call ETF · ETF / Covered Call Income
$18.32
+2.92% this month
VERSUS
COMPARE
QQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust · ETF / Nasdaq-100 Index
$713.44
+1.15% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across expense ratio, momentum, yield, fund size, risk
QYLD
2
QQQ
3
Comparison scoreboard
QQQ LEADS 3/5Exp. Ratio
QYLD 0.60%
QQQ ✓0.18%
1Y Return
QYLD +24.30%
QQQ ✓+27.27%
Div. Yield
QYLD ✓9.88%
QQQ 0.44%
AUM
QYLD $8.09B
QQQ ✓$452.8B
Beta
QYLD ✓0.61
QQQ 1.24
Metrics last refreshed: 8/23/2026
Quick take
QYLD vs QQQ Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
QYLD and QQQ are dramatically different investment strategies on the same Nasdaq-100 underlying. QYLD sacrifices capital appreciation for 10-12% income; QQQ captures full capital appreciation with minimal income. Over any meaningful long-term period, QQQ's total return (appreciation + small dividend) has dramatically outpaced QYLD's income-focused approach — because the capped upside misses the Nasdaq-100's strongest bull market years. QYLD is for income-specific needs where total return is secondary.
QYLD vs QQQ — QYLD (the Nasdaq-100 covered call ETF selling monthly call options for 10-12% income distribution at the cost of capped upside participation) versus QQQ (the Nasdaq-100 index ETF with full bull market participation in Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft at the cost of minimal current income).
Live analysis · updated 8/23/2026
QQQ holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. QQQ has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+27.27% vs +24.30% for QYLD).
Normalized 1Y performance
QYLD
QQQ
Recent returns
QYLD
QQQ
Who should consider this stock?
QYLD may suit investors who:
- need maximum current income from Nasdaq-100 exposure and are willing to sacrifice capital appreciation — retirees living on portfolio income may value monthly distributions over total return
- believe the Nasdaq-100 will be flat to slightly declining — in range-bound markets, QYLD's premium income outperforms QQQ's price decline
- understand return of capital tax mechanics and the NAV erosion implications of distributing more than true income
- have carefully evaluated that QYLD's total return including distributions still underperforms QQQ over time and accept this tradeoff for cash flow purposes
QQQ may suit investors who:
- want full participation in Nasdaq-100 technology sector bull markets without the upside cap that QYLD's covered calls impose
- prioritize total return over current income — QQQ's long-term compounding of capital appreciation dramatically outpaces QYLD's income focus over 5+ year periods
- use Nasdaq-100 as a growth allocation separate from income allocation — letting capital compound without dividend drag while income comes from other portfolio sources
- are comfortable with QQQ's 0.20% expense ratio and technology sector concentration risk for long-term growth positioning
Performance & AI score
| Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| ETF score | 48.0 | 78.0 |
| Latest close | $18.32 | $713.44 |
| 1M return | +2.92% | +1.15% |
| 6M return | +10.62% | +18.50% |
| 1Y return | +24.30% | +27.27% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $13.96K (+39.6%) started 2025-08-21 | $12.79K (+27.9%) started 2025-08-21 |
| 5Y ago | $34.09K (+240.9%) started 2021-08-23 | $20.3K (+103.0%) started 2021-08-23 |
| 10Y ago | $198.23K (+1882.3%) started 2016-08-22 | $69.98K (+599.8%) started 2016-08-22 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fund characteristics
| Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.60% | 0.18% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $8.09B | $452.8B |
| Dividend yield | 9.88% | 0.44% |
| Trailing P/E | 30.40 | 30.51 |
| Beta | 0.61 | 1.24 |
| 52-week change | 24.30% | 27.27% |
Risk & fund metrics
| Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y return | +24.30% | +27.27% |
| 6M return | +10.62% | +18.50% |
| 1M return | +2.92% | +1.15% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.61 | 1.11 |
| Beta | 0.61 | 1.24 |
| Dividend yield | 9.88% | 0.44% |
| 5Y CAGR | +8.01% | +14.54% |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
QYLD max drawdown5.78%
QQQ max drawdown11.96%
QYLD max wkly drop3.52%
QQQ max wkly drop6.79%
5Y risk snapshot
QYLD max drawdown24.60%
QQQ max drawdown35.12%
QYLD max wkly drop10.69%
QQQ max wkly drop11.98%
10Y risk snapshot
QYLD max drawdown24.75%
QQQ max drawdown35.12%
QYLD max wkly drop16.04%
QQQ max wkly drop16.20%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +24.30% | +27.27% |
| CAGR | +24.32% | +27.29% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.61 | 1.11 | |
| Max drawdown | 5.78% | 11.96% | |
| Max daily drop | 1.97% | 4.80% | |
| Max wkly drop | 3.52% | 6.79% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +46.92% | +96.97% |
| CAGR | +8.01% | +14.54% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.29 | 0.51 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.60% | 35.12% | |
| Max daily drop | 5.82% | 6.21% | |
| Max wkly drop | 10.69% | 11.98% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +155.08% | +551.52% |
| CAGR | +9.82% | +20.62% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.39 | 0.75 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.75% | 35.12% | |
| Max daily drop | 10.23% | 11.98% | |
| Max wkly drop | 16.04% | 16.20% |
Fund overview
| Category | QYLD | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF | Invesco QQQ Trust |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratio | 0.60% | 0.18% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $8.09B | $452.8B |
| Dividend yield | 9.88% | 0.44% |
QYLD strengths
- Monthly income at 10-12% yield: QYLD provides significantly above-market income distributions monthly — one of the highest ETF yield sources available
- Downside buffering from premium income: option premiums provide some cushion against minor declines — in flat to slightly declining markets, QYLD may outperform pure QQQ exposure
- Monthly distribution schedule: 12 monthly payments appeal to income investors managing cash flow needs vs QQQ's quarterly dividends
QQQ strengths
- Full bull market participation: QQQ captures 100% of Nasdaq-100 upside in technology bull markets — in 2023, QQQ returned 55% while QYLD's capped strategy severely limited gains
- 20-year compounding track record: QQQ has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 over 10-20 year periods through technology earnings growth compounding
- Simpler structure with no options complexity: QQQ's straightforward index tracking is easier to understand than QYLD's covered call mechanics
Risks to watch — QYLD
- Capped upside in bull markets: QYLD's covered call strategy limits the fund's upside to the option strike price — in strong bull markets like 2023 (QQQ up 55%), QYLD significantly underperforms
- Return of capital distributions reduce NAV: some QYLD distributions are classified as return of capital — reducing the fund's NAV over time, creating the appearance of income that is partly principal consumption
- Total return significantly below QQQ over any meaningful period: QYLD's 10-12% yield doesn't compensate for the capital appreciation sacrificed — QQQ's total return has dramatically exceeded QYLD over 5-10 year periods
Risks to watch — QQQ
- Minimal current income: QQQ's dividend yield is under 1% — not suitable for income investors relying on distributions
- High valuation in technology sector: the Nasdaq-100's technology concentration means valuations are cyclically sensitive — bear markets can create 30-40% drawdowns in QQQ
- Higher expense ratio (0.20%) vs passive S&P 500 ETFs: QQQ costs more than VOO or IVV for similar passive exposure to a different index
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