QQQ vs USD
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs ProShares Ultra Semiconductors
Which is better, QQQ or USD?
Large Cap Growth against Trading-Leveraged Equity.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. USD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y 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 | QQQ | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.95% |
| AUM | $483.5B | $2.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 0.36% |
| Holdings | 107 | 51 |
| YTD Return | +16.87% | +57.83%Best |
| 1Y Return | +22.98% | +84.75%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +24.98% | +103.79%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.39% | +55.74%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.8%Best | 54.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -53.5%Best | -89.3% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $19,586 | $91,622Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | ProShares |
| Category | Equity | Alternative |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Trading-Leveraged Equity |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Jan 30, 2007 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 1, 2007 to Sep 11, 2026 (19.6 years).
QQQ vs USD 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
QQQ vs USD Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and ProShares Ultra Semiconductors (USD) is an ETF from ProShares. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.98% while USD returned +84.75%. Year to date, QQQ is up 16.87% versus a gain of 57.83% for USD.
Over three years, QQQ compounded at +24.98% per year against +103.79% for USD; over five years the annualized figures are +14.39% and +55.74% respectively. Across the full 20-year window we track, USD has the edge at +27.55% annualized vs +15.47%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
USD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 54.3% compared with 18.8% 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 -53.5% for QQQ and -89.3% for USD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.86. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while USD charges 0.95%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $95 annually, a gap of $77 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 0.36% for USD.
Holdings Overlap
At least 31.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings USD also owns.
Stated as a floor: for USD, our book for it covers 65.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
17 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 38 in USD, against full books of 107 and 51.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in USD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.44% | 17.18% | 8.74% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.16% | 6.41% | 3.25% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.43% | 3.26% | 1.17% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. | 3.45% | 2.54% | 0.91% |
| INTCIntel Corp. | 2.23% | 1.54% | 0.69% |
| AMATApplied Materials, Inc. | 1.86% | 1.37% | 0.49% |
| LRCXLam Research Corpcommon Stock | 1.69% | 1.24% | 0.45% |
| TXNTexas Instruments, Inc | 1.12% | 0.82% | 0.30% |
| KLACKla Corp. | 1.11% | 0.81% | 0.30% |
| ADIAnalog Devices, Inc. | 0.81% | 0.60% | 0.21% |
31.1% of QQQ is already inside USD.
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 USD?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while USD charges 0.95%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $77 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or USD?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.98% vs +84.75% for USD, so USD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (20 years), QQQ annualized +15.47% vs +27.55% for USD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or USD?
USD has been the more volatile fund at 54.3% annualized versus 18.8% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: QQQ -53.5% vs USD -89.3%.
Should I hold both QQQ and USD?
QQQ and USD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.86, 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 USD?
At least 31.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings USD also owns. Our book for USD is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 17 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 38 in USD.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or USD?
QQQ yields 0.44% while USD yields 0.36%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is USD better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. USD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.