NFXL vs SPY
Direxion Daily NFLX Bull 2X ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, NFXL or SPY?
Leverage Strategy against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | NFXL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.05% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $150M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 10.31% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 10 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -38.74% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | -67.69% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.18% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 71.4% | 12.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -80.3% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.9 years | $7,668 | $13,651Best |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Leverage Strategy | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 3, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 3, 2024 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.9 years).
NFXL vs SPY growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.9 years both funds cover.
NFXL vs SPY Performance
Direxion Daily NFLX Bull 2X ETF (NFXL) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year NFXL returned -67.69% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, NFXL is down 38.74% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
NFXL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 71.4% compared with 12.8% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -80.3% for NFXL and -18.8% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.16. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
NFXL charges 1.05% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $105 vs $9 annually, a gap of $96 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, NFXL currently yields 10.31% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.5% of SPY's money is in holdings NFXL also owns.
Stated as a floor: for NFXL, our book for it covers 97.6% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 4 positions we hold weights for in NFXL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 10 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in NFXL | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFLXNetflix, Inc. | 14.79% | 0.47% | 14.32% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of NFXL and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, NFXL or SPY?
NFXL has an expense ratio of 1.05% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $96 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, NFXL or SPY?
Over the past year NFXL returned -67.69% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), NFXL annualized -13.04% vs +17.80% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, NFXL or SPY?
NFXL has been the more volatile fund at 71.4% annualized versus 12.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: NFXL -80.3% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both NFXL and SPY?
NFXL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.16, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, NFXL or SPY?
NFXL yields 10.31% while SPY yields 0.98%, so NFXL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than NFXL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.