Data as of .
CEPI vs DFII: which paid, and which earned it?
Over the year CEPI paid 35.3% of its price in cash against DFII’s 11.5%, and returned more with it reinvested.
ETFIQ Return Stability Score: CEPI scores higher
Was the payout funded by returns, or by your own capital?
A percentile among the 173 income ETFs writing on an index or proxy. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All income ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, CEPI and DFII hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in CEPI | Only in DFII |
|---|---|
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc 6.59% | 2026-09-30 S&P 500® Mini Index P 2,997.6 1283.75% |
| Micron Technology Inc 5.71% | US Dollar 0.98% |
| Applied Digital Corp 5.64% | 2026-09-30 iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF C 4 0.46% |
| Strategy Inc 5.58% | 2026-09-30 S&P 500® Mini Index C 2,810.2 0.01% |
| MARA Holdings Inc 5.57% | 2026-09-30 S&P 500® Mini Index C 2,997.6 -0.01% |
| IREN Ltd 5.29% | 2026-09-25 iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF C 4 -0.36% |
| TSMC 4.72% | 2026-09-30 iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF P 4 -8.84% |
| NVIDIA Corp 4.55% | 2026-09-30 S&P 500® Mini Index P 2,810.2 -1175.99% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026 and Sep 18, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | Cash paid | Against the benchmark | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEPI | DFII | CEPI | DFII | CEPI | DFII | |
| 3 months | +0.9% | +23.6% | 9.6% | 4.7% | +3.1 pts | −5.6 pts |
| 6 months | +29.4% | +10.5% | 22.2% | 8.4% | −4.4 pts | −5.2 pts |
| 1 year | +18.1% | −32.5% | 35.3% | 11.5% | +6.0 pts | −1.5 pts |
| Since launch | +26.2% | −5.6% | 51.2% | 24.3% | −1.0 pts | −4.4 pts |
| CEPI REX Crypto Equity Premium Income ETF Covered call on BITQ, paying weekly | DFII FT Vest Bitcoin Strategy & Target Income ETF Option income on IBIT, paying monthly | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | REX | First Trust |
| Strategy | covered call | option income |
| Benchmark | Crypto industry (BITQ), used as the crypto proxy | Bitcoin (IBIT) |
| Pays | weekly | monthly |
| Payout rate, annualized | 41.0% | 17.4% |
| Expense ratio | 0.85% | 0.85% |
| Cash paid, 1 year | 35.3% | 11.5% |
| Price change, 1 year | −22.5% | −43.7% |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.1% | −32.5% |
| Benchmark return, 1 year | +12.1% | −31.1% |
| Ahead or behind | +6.0 pts | −1.5 pts |
| Return of capital, latest estimate | 100% | not published |
| Age | 653 days | 533 days |
| Net assets | $121m | $21m |
CEPI in plain words
Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, CEPI paid 35.3% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 22.5%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +18.1%. Crypto industry (BITQ), used as the crypto proxy returned +12.1% over the same days, so a holder was ahead by 6.0 pts. At its price on Sep 18, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 41.0%, paid weekly. REX estimates that 100% of the distribution paid Aug 27, 2026 was a return of capital (19a-1 notice, estimated, a tax characterization rather than a measure of erosion).
DFII in plain words
Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, DFII paid 11.5% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 43.7%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned −32.5%. Bitcoin (IBIT) returned −31.1% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 1.5 pts. At its price on Sep 18, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 17.4%, paid monthly.
Questions people ask
- Which paid more, CEPI or DFII?
- Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, CEPI paid 35.3% of its starting price in cash and DFII paid 11.5%, so CEPI paid more. Cash paid is not the same as money made: the price change matters too.
- Which returned more once distributions are counted, CEPI or DFII?
- With every distribution reinvested, CEPI returned +18.1% and DFII returned −32.5% over the year to Sep 18, 2026, so CEPI returned more.
- Which is cheaper, CEPI or DFII?
- CEPI charges 0.85% a year and DFII charges 0.85%, so CEPI is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, CEPI against DFII, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/income/cepi-vs-dfii Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.