Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Alternative ETFs

CTA vs MFUT: Correlation to the S&P 500

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Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, CTA moved less with the S&P 500 than MFUT: correlation −0.14 against +0.54.

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Net assets: $1.3bn on Nov 3, 2026 for Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF, and $39m on Jun 30, 2026 for Cambria Chesapeake Pure Trend ETF.

At a glance
−0.14
CTA correlation with the S&P 500
+0.54
MFUT correlation with the S&P 500
5.3%
CTA down-week capture
89.9%
MFUT down-week capture
CTA Fell 5% as much as the S&P 500
Fell 5% as much as the S&P 500CTA in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, CTA −0.06%.SPY−1.07%CTA−0.06%Average week when SPY fell: 26 of 52, year to Nov 4, 2026Fell 5% as much as the S&P 500CTA in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, CTA −0.06%.SPY−1.07%CTA−0.06%Average week when SPY fell

CTA in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, CTA −0.06%.

MFUT Fell 90% as much as the S&P 500
Fell 90% as much as the S&P 500MFUT in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, MFUT −0.96%.SPY−1.07%MFUT−0.96%Average week when SPY fell: 26 of 52, year to Nov 4, 2026Fell 90% as much as the S&P 500MFUT in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, MFUT −0.96%.SPY−1.07%MFUT−0.96%Average week when SPY fell

MFUT in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, MFUT −0.96%.

Pair scorecard

CTA costs 0.03 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 18.2 points.

CTA vs MFUT: Correlation to the S&P 500
MeasureCTAMFUT
Return
Total return, 1 year+4.6%+22.8%
Against its benchmark
Treasury bills, 52 weeks+3.7%
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.86%0.89%
Net assets, CTA as of Nov 3, 2026 and MFUT as of Jun 30, 2026$1.3bn$39m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
Risk
Beta to the S&P 500−0.30: about 0.30% for each 1%+0.74: about 0.74% for each 1%
Its average week when the S&P 500 fellfell 0.06%fell 0.96%
ETFIQ Stock Diversification Score · CTA scores higher How much does it diversify a stock portfolio?
IQ Alternatives Score94.2CTA29.4MFUT

How much it diversifies a stock portfolio, ranked against 17 systematic trend alternatives ETFs with a full year. 100 is best. How it is computed

2.9, the lowest in this set 94.2, the highest

One year of weekly moves against the S&P 500, within one strategy; it ignores what the fund returned. All alternatives ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Window by window

Window by window: CTA vs MFUT: Correlation to the S&P 500
Total return
WindowCTAMFUT
3 months+6.2%−2.0%
6 months−10.8%−1.4%
1 year+4.6%+22.8%
3 years+22.3%–
Since launchNot the same days: CTA Mar 2022 · MFUT May 2024+37.8%−5.4%

– means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF · Managed futures fund: follows price trends in futures on stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities, and can bet on falls as well as rises MFUT Cambria Chesapeake Pure Trend ETF · Managed futures fund: follows price trends in futures on stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities, and can bet on falls as well as rises
Strategy Managed futures Managed futures
Correlation with the S&P 500 −0.14 +0.54
Beta to the S&P 500 −0.30 +0.74
Down-week capture 5.3% 89.9%
Average week when the S&P 500 fell −0.06% −0.96%
The S&P 500 in those weeks −1.07% −1.07%
Total return, same 52 weeks +3.6% +22.8%
Against T-bills, percentage points 0.0 pts +19.1 pts
Expense ratio 0.86% 0.89%
First traded Mar 8, 2022 May 29, 2024
Net assets, CTA as of Nov 3, 2026 and MFUT as of Jun 30, 2026 $1.3bn $39m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

One strategy, two funds

CTA and MFUT both run a managed futures strategy. Over the same 52 weeks to Nov 4, 2026, CTA’s weekly returns had a correlation of −0.14 with the S&P 500 and MFUT’s +0.54. In the 26 weeks the index fell, by 1.07% a week on average, CTA averaged −0.06% and MFUT −0.96%. Over the same weeks, CTA finished level with cash and MFUT finished 19.1 points ahead of cash.

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About each fund
CTA

CTA is a managed futures fund. ETFIQ measures what every alternatives fund is sold on: whether it moves differently from the stock market. Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, its weekly returns had a correlation of −0.14 with the S&P 500’s and a beta of −0.30, so for each 1% the index moved it moved about 0.30% the other way. The S&P 500 fell in 26 of those 52 weeks, by 1.07% on average. In the same weeks CTA fell 0.06% on average, a down-week capture of 5.3%. Over the same 52 weeks CTA returned +3.6% and a Treasury bill fund +3.7%, so it finished level with cash.

MFUT

MFUT is a managed futures fund. Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, its weekly returns had a correlation of +0.54 with the S&P 500’s and a beta of +0.74, so for each 1% the index moved it moved about 0.74% the same way. In the same weeks MFUT fell 0.96% on average, a down-week capture of 89.9%. Over the same 52 weeks MFUT returned +22.8% and a Treasury bill fund +3.7%, so it finished 19.1 percentage points ahead of cash.

Questions people ask

Which moved less with the S&P 500, CTA or MFUT?
Over the 52 weeks to Nov 4, 2026, CTA’s weekly returns had a correlation of −0.14 with the S&P 500 and MFUT’s +0.54, so CTA moved less with the index.
Which did better when the S&P 500 fell, CTA or MFUT?
In the 26 weeks the S&P 500 fell, by 1.07% a week on average, CTA averaged −0.06% and MFUT −0.96%, so CTA returned more in those weeks.
Which earned more than cash, CTA or MFUT?
Over the same weeks, CTA finished level with cash and MFUT finished 19.1 percentage points ahead of cash. Cash here is BIL, a fund of Treasury bills.
Which is cheaper, CTA or MFUT?
CTA charges 0.86% a year and MFUT charges 0.89%, so CTA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, CTA against MFUT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/alternatives/cta-vs-mfut

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