QQQ vs SOXY
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs YieldMax Target 12 Semiconductor Option Income ETF
Which is better, QQQ or SOXY?
Large Cap Growth against Option Writing.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SOXY led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.2%.
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 | QQQ | SOXY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 1.06% |
| AUM | $483.5B | $63M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 9.86% |
| Holdings | 107 | 86 |
| YTD Return | +16.87% | +57.00%Best |
| 1Y Return | +22.98% | +88.24%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +24.98% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.39% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.6%Best | 39.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -22.8%Best | -30.2% |
| $10,000 over 1.8 years | $14,033 | $22,327Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5%Best | 48.2% |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | YieldMax ETF |
| Category | Equity | Alternative |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Option Writing |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Dec 2, 2024 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.8 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 3, 2024 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.8 years).
QQQ vs SOXY 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 1.8 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs SOXY Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and YieldMax Target 12 Semiconductor Option Income ETF (SOXY) is an ETF from YieldMax ETF. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.98% while SOXY returned +88.24%. Year to date, QQQ is up 16.87% versus a gain of 57.00% for SOXY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SOXY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 39.6% compared with 19.6% for QQQ. 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 -22.8% for QQQ and -30.2% for SOXY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.87. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SOXY charges 1.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $106 annually, a gap of $88 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 9.86% for SOXY.
Holdings Overlap
32.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings SOXY also owns. 75.1% of SOXY's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
Most of SOXY is already inside QQQ. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
20 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 29 in SOXY, against full books of 107 and 86.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 6 positions for SOXY that do not appear in our book for QQQ (14.2% of the fund), and 77 for QQQ that do not appear in SOXY (65.6%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in SOXY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.44% | 6.67% | 1.77% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.43% | 4.94% | 0.51% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. | 3.45% | 5.19% | 1.74% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.16% | 4.66% | 1.50% |
| LRCXLam Research Corpcommon Stock | 1.69% | 4.53% | 2.84% |
| MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd | 0.81% | 5.10% | 4.29% |
| AMATApplied Materials, Inc. | 1.86% | 3.86% | 2.00% |
| ASML:ASAsml Holding Adr Representing Nv | 0.68% | 4.93% | 4.25% |
| INTCIntel Corp. | 2.23% | 3.29% | 1.06% |
| KLACKla Corp. | 1.11% | 3.50% | 2.39% |
75.1% of SOXY is already inside QQQ.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQ or SOXY?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SOXY charges 1.06%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $88 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or SOXY?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.98% vs +88.24% for SOXY, so SOXY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), QQQ annualized +20.71% vs +56.24% for SOXY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SOXY?
SOXY has been the more volatile fund at 39.6% annualized versus 19.6% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs SOXY -30.2%.
Should I hold both QQQ and SOXY?
QQQ and SOXY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.87, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between QQQ and SOXY?
75.1% of SOXY's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 75.1% of SOXY's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 20 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 29 in SOXY.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SOXY?
QQQ yields 0.44% while SOXY yields 9.86%, so SOXY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SOXY better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SOXY led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.