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Data as of .

QLDY vs XSHP: which paid, and which earned it?

QLDY and XSHP both write options for income.

Defiance Nasdaq 100 LightningSpread(TM) Income ETF and Kurv SpaceX (SPAX) Enhanced Income ETF.

29.2%QLDY cash paid, 1 year
7.3%XSHP cash paid, 1 year
+10.6%QLDY total return, 1 year
−13.1%XSHP total return, 1 year
QLDY11.2 pts behind QQQ · 1 year to Sep 18, 2026
QQQ+21.8%QLDY+10.6%29.2% as cash11.2 pts behind QQQTotal return, distributions reinvestedQQQ+21.8%QLDY+10.6%11.2 pts behind QQQ
XSHP16.4 pts behind SPY · since launch to Sep 18, 2026
SPY+3.3%XSHP−13.1%16.4 pts behind SPYTotal return, distributions reinvestedSPY+3.3%XSHP−13.1%16.4 pts behind SPY

Performance, window by window

QLDY and XSHP over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowTotal returnCash paidAgainst the benchmark
QLDYXSHPQLDYXSHPQLDYXSHP
3 months−6.6%−11.0%8.3%7.4%−4.1 pts−13.3 pts
6 months+20.1%not published18.7%not published−4.2 ptsnot published
1 year+10.6%not published29.2%not published−11.2 ptsnot published
Since launch+10.6%−13.1%29.2%7.3%−11.2 pts−16.4 pts
Open the live comparison on ETFIQ
QLDY and XSHP on the same fields, as of Sep 18, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
QLDY
Defiance Nasdaq 100 LightningSpread(TM) Income ETF
Option income on QQQ, paying weekly
XSHP
Kurv SpaceX (SPAX) Enhanced Income ETF
Covered call on SPY, paying monthly
IssuerDefianceKurv
Strategyoption incomecovered call
BenchmarkNasdaq-100 (QQQ)S&P 500 (SPY), used as the proxy
Paysweeklymonthly
Payout rate, annualized19.6%33.5%
Expense ratio1.04%0.99%
Cash paid, 1 year29.2%7.3% (since launch on Jun 17, 2026)
Price change, 1 year−20.3%−21.8%
Total return, 1 year+10.6%−13.1% (since launch on Jun 17, 2026)
Benchmark return, 1 year+21.8%+3.3%
Ahead or behind−11.2 pts−16.4 pts
Return of capital, latest estimate100%94%
Age365 days93 days
Net assets$52m$7m

QLDY in plain words

Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, QLDY paid 29.2% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 20.3%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +10.6%. Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) returned +21.8% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 11.2 pts. At its price on Sep 18, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 19.6%, paid weekly. Defiance estimates that 100% of the distribution paid Sep 17, 2026 was a return of capital (19a-1 notice, estimated, a tax characterization rather than a measure of erosion).

XSHP in plain words

Over the period since launch on Jun 17, 2026 to Sep 18, 2026, XSHP paid 7.3% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 21.8%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned −13.1%. S&P 500 (SPY), used as the proxy returned +3.3% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 16.4 pts. At its price on Sep 18, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 33.5%, paid monthly. Kurv estimates that 94% of the distribution paid Sep 3, 2026 was a return of capital (19a-1 notice, estimated, a tax characterization rather than a measure of erosion).

Questions people ask

Which is cheaper, QLDY or XSHP?
QLDY charges 1.04% a year and XSHP charges 0.99%, so XSHP 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.

QLDY against XSHP, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 18, 2026. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, QLDY against XSHP, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/income/qldy-vs-xshp Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How every figure is computed · Standards and sources