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WDTE Defiance S&P 500 Weekly Distribution ETF

Option income on SPY, paying weekly

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, WDTE paid 28.1% in cash and finished level with SPY.

Defiance · Income ETFs · data as of

Key facts

28.1%Cash paid, 1 year, on its starting price
+17.1%Total return, 1 year
−0.4 ptsAgainst SPY
100.0%Return of capital, latest payout (Defiance estimate)

Method

ETFIQ Return Stability Score

47.5joint 86th of 161

WDTE paid 28.1% in cash. Its price fell 13.7%, so 49% of what you were paid came back out of your own capital.

Was the payout funded by returns, or by your own capital?

Against its benchmark
MLPD −38.1 ptsMDST −30.2 ptsSLTY −29.1 ptsBLOX −27.8 ptsEIPI −27.8 ptsYQQQ −27.6 ptsULTY −23.3 ptsGDXY −22.0 ptsHIGH −20.8 ptsTOPW −18.6 ptsTDVI −18.3 ptsYMAX −18.1 ptsHISF −17.3 ptsACKY −17.2 ptsWEEI −16.9 ptsNDIV −16.6 ptsLQDW −16.2 ptsOARK −15.8 ptsFDND −15.5 ptsTCAL −15.0 ptsQRMI −14.8 ptsSDVD −14.8 ptsLFGY −14.5 ptsSLJY −14.5 ptsSCLZ −14.1 ptsYFYA −13.9 ptsQUSA −13.5 ptsHYGW −13.0 ptsJULH −13.0 ptsXLRI −13.0 ptsMAGY −12.9 ptsYYY −12.7 ptsXLKI −12.6 ptsJULJ −12.4 ptsLJUL −12.4 ptsJANJ −12.3 ptsLJAN −12.3 ptsFGSI −12.2 ptsLOCT −12.1 ptsRNTY −12.1 ptsAIPI −12.0 ptsIWMY −12.0 ptsOCTJ −11.9 ptsHIPS −11.7 ptsJUCY −11.6 ptsXLEI −11.6 ptsAPRJ −11.3 ptsLAPR −11.3 ptsXISE −11.3 ptsXIJN −11.1 ptsCVRD −11.0 ptsJANH −11.0 ptsAPRH −10.9 ptsXBTY −10.7 ptsXIDE −10.7 ptsOCTH −10.6 ptsJEPI −10.3 ptsXIMR −10.1 ptsSRHR −9.7 ptsXRMI −8.7 ptsVEGA −8.3 ptsBUYW −8.2 ptsIAUI −7.9 ptsBAGY −7.7 ptsXV −7.5 ptsKHPI −7.3 ptsYBTC −7.3 ptsFTHI −7.0 ptsYLDE −6.8 ptsIGLD −6.1 ptsQQQI −6.1 ptsRDVI −6.0 ptsSPIN −5.9 ptsFEPI −5.8 ptsIWMW −5.8 ptsTYLG −5.7 ptsBITY −5.6 ptsSPUT −5.4 ptsWTPI −5.2 ptsPAPI −4.7 ptsXLVI −4.7 ptsETCO −4.3 ptsJEPQ −4.1 ptsCAIE −4.0 ptsFTKI −3.9 ptsGPTY −3.7 ptsIQQQ −3.7 ptsGIAX −3.4 ptsBIGY −3.3 ptsISPY −3.1 ptsRYLD −3.1 ptsWEEL −2.9 ptsYMAG −2.9 ptsRDTY −2.6 ptsXLBI −2.5 ptsNBOS −1.8 ptsRYLG −1.8 ptsSPYI −1.7 ptsFTQI −1.6 ptsKNG −1.6 ptsTSPY −1.6 ptsTHTA −1.5 ptsQQQY −1.3 ptsRDTE −1.3 ptsDIVO −1.2 ptsSIXH −1.2 ptsXYLD −1.2 ptsDFII −1.1 ptsGPIQ −1.1 ptsQDTY −1.1 ptsXYLG −1.1 ptsXDTE −0.9 ptsQDTE −0.7 ptsQYLD −0.7 ptsXLII −0.7 ptsXPAY −0.7 ptsEGGY −0.6 ptsJOYT −0.6 ptsSDTY −0.6 ptsBTCC −0.3 ptsQYLG −0.3 ptsGPIX 0.0 ptsDJIA +0.1 ptsDYLG +0.3 ptsIWMI +0.3 ptsKGLD +0.3 ptsXLFI +0.3 ptsIVVW +0.4 ptsLTTI +0.5 ptsLQTI +0.6 ptsPBP +0.6 ptsHYTI +0.9 ptsTDAQ +0.9 ptsCSHI +1.3 ptsBALI +1.4 ptsYETH +1.5 ptsHYBL +1.6 ptsXLUI +1.6 ptsCHPY +1.9 ptsBTCI +2.1 ptsSOXY +2.3 ptsITWO +2.5 ptsDOGG +2.7 ptsCEPI +2.9 ptsXLYI +2.9 ptsYBIT +2.9 ptsTLTP +3.4 ptsDUBS +4.0 ptsSEPI +4.7 ptsXLCI +5.2 ptsIDVO +5.4 ptsTLTW +5.4 ptsBCCC +6.3 ptsOMAH +6.5 ptsIDUB +6.9 ptsXLSI +8.8 ptsUSOY +10.5 ptsBUCK +10.9 ptsKLIP +20.9 ptsNVYY +24.6 ptsWDTE −0.4 ptsWDTE −0.4 pts−38.1 pts+24.6 pts

74.2% of the 161 sit at or below WDTE on this measure.

What happened to the principal
ETCO −75.0%XBTY −74.7%YETH −67.4%YBTC −61.4%BTCC −59.9%YBIT −58.9%BAGY −58.0%SLTY −54.4%ULTY −53.3%NVYY −52.4%BITY −51.9%BCCC −49.4%BTCI −46.9%DFII −44.8%LFGY −43.0%YMAX −41.0%BLOX −38.8%TOPW −36.6%OARK −33.3%KLIP −32.8%GDXY −32.5%YMAG −27.1%YQQQ −26.3%MAGY −25.8%IWMY −23.1%CEPI −21.0%RDTY −19.9%RDTE −19.4%QDTE −18.5%EGGY −15.1%TLTP −14.5%XLYI −14.1%LTTI −13.8%ACKY −13.7%QQQY −13.0%QDTY −12.8%XDTE −12.8%AIPI −12.2%QUSA −11.8%LQTI −10.4%TLTW −10.3%SDTY −9.9%GIAX −9.8%XLUI −9.5%HIGH −9.3%LQDW −9.3%TCAL −9.0%FEPI −8.5%XV −8.4%IGLD −8.1%XLRI −8.0%XLCI −7.9%FDND −7.6%YYY −7.5%XLSI −7.3%RNTY −6.5%HYTI −6.3%GPTY −6.0%OMAH −6.0%XLBI −5.7%HYGW −5.6%IWMW −5.3%HIPS −5.2%XPAY −4.9%HISF −4.7%QRMI −4.2%USOY −4.0%XLFI −3.8%FGSI −3.2%BUCK −2.5%HYBL −2.5%JUCY −2.3%XRMI −2.3%MLPD −1.7%CAIE −1.6%IAUI −1.6%YFYA −1.6%IVVW −1.4%CVRD −1.3%JEPI −1.1%KNG −0.9%XIJN −0.7%JULJ −0.6%WTPI −0.5%CSHI −0.4%JULH −0.3%LJUL −0.2%XISE 0.0%JANH +0.1%JANJ +0.1%LAPR +0.1%LOCT +0.1%LJAN +0.2%OCTJ +0.2%XLII +0.2%APRJ +0.3%OCTH +0.3%XIDE +0.3%XIMR +0.4%APRH +0.5%TSPY +0.6%KHPI +0.7%BIGY +0.8%WEEL +0.9%SRHR +1.0%FTHI +1.1%QQQI +1.5%XLVI +2.1%SPYI +2.6%QYLG +2.8%YLDE +2.8%BUYW +2.9%SDVD +3.0%XYLG +3.4%KGLD +3.8%THTA +3.9%DJIA +4.2%FTKI +4.3%SCLZ +4.4%PAPI +4.5%RYLD +4.7%XLKI +5.0%PBP +5.1%IWMI +5.3%DYLG +5.4%TDAQ +5.9%XYLD +5.9%JEPQ +6.0%SPIN +6.1%NBOS +6.5%SPUT +6.5%RYLG +7.1%GPIX +7.9%FTQI +8.0%DOGG +8.2%ISPY +8.4%QYLD +8.4%DIVO +8.9%MDST +9.3%VEGA +9.4%BALI +9.5%GPIQ +9.8%SLJY +11.0%RDVI +11.7%TDVI +11.7%IQQQ +12.3%SEPI +13.8%XLEI +13.8%SIXH +14.1%ITWO +14.3%EIPI +14.6%JOYT +16.1%IDVO +16.4%DUBS +18.9%WEEI +18.9%IDUB +19.0%TYLG +21.2%NDIV +22.9%CHPY +24.9%SOXY +68.6%WDTE −13.7%WDTE −13.7%−75.0%+68.6%

20.8% of the 161 sit at or below WDTE on this measure.

Weighted evenly, those two positions are what the score combines, across the 161 income ETFs writing on an index or proxy. Neither spread above is the score: a fund can sit further right on one and score lower. A position in this set, not a rating: it moves when the set moves, and it is not a figure to average against another desk's.

What the score is computed from
What it measuresThis fundIts percentileWeight
against its benchmark−0.4 pts74.250%
what happened to the principal−13.7%20.850%

All income ETFs ranked by this score · How it is computed

7th of 68 income ETFs writing on SPY, by return against it

What a holder got

WDTE against SPYWDTE returned +17.1% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), a gap of −0.4 pts. Of that, 28.1% arrived as cash rather than price.+17.1%WDTE total return+17.5%S&P 500 (SPY)28.1% of it arrived as cash

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, WDTE returned +17.1% with distributions reinvested and S&P 500 (SPY) returned +17.5%, so a holder came out level with it. The lighter segment is the 28.1% that arrived as cash rather than as price.

Its ten largest equity positions

WDTE top ten by weight, 100.0% of its 5 equity positions, from the holdings published by its issuer for Sep 14, 2026. The options the fund writes are not positions of this kind and are not listed. Source: the issuer’s own daily file.
HoldingWeight
Spx Us 12/18/26 C60092.48%
First American Government Obligations Fu7.16%
Cash & Other0.49%
Spx 09/14/2026 7679.19 C0.14%
Spx 09/14/2026 7656.98 C-0.27%

Method

Period by period

WDTE over each window to Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowCash paidPriceTotal returnSPYAhead or behind
3 months7.4%−3.4%+4.2%+3.3%+0.9 pts
6 months15.3%−0.7%+15.4%+16.0%−0.7 pts
1 year28.1%−13.7%+17.1%+17.5%−0.4 pts
Since launch77.6%−51.6%+49.4%+78.6%−29.1 pts

Method

When WDTE pays

WDTE pays weekly. The last distribution was $0.168 a share, which went ex on Sep 10, 2026, with payment about 1 day later. The next has not been declared. On its own cadence of about 7 days the ex-date falls near Sep 17, 2026; that date is an ETFIQ projection, not the issuer’s.

Expected distributions for WDTE. Where the basis is a projection, ETFIQ has carried the fund’s own spacing forward from its last ex-date and held the amount at the last one paid; neither is an issuer statement. Source: ETFIQ.
Ex-datePay dateAmountBasis
Sep 17, 2026Sep 18, 2026$0.168ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Sep 24, 2026Sep 25, 2026$0.168ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Oct 1, 2026Oct 2, 2026$0.168ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Oct 8, 2026Oct 9, 2026$0.168ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Oct 15, 2026Oct 16, 2026$0.168ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Oct 22, 2026Oct 23, 2026$0.168ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Every distribution ETFIQ holds for WDTE (13, most recent first)
Cash distributions per share for WDTE. Source: ETFIQ from Tiingo end-of-day distributions.
Ex-dateAmount
Sep 10, 2026$0.168
Sep 3, 2026$0.1684
Aug 27, 2026$0.1696
Aug 20, 2026$0.1712
Aug 13, 2026$0.1729
Aug 6, 2026$0.1738
Jul 30, 2026$0.1685
Jul 23, 2026$0.1705
Jul 16, 2026$0.1722
Jul 9, 2026$0.1726
Jul 2, 2026$0.1728
Jun 25, 2026$0.1714
Jun 18, 2026$0.175

Every income ETF going ex-dividend in the next fortnight

Method

In plain words

Since it launched on Sep 19, 2023, WDTE has returned +49.4% with distributions reinvested, against +78.6% for S&P 500 (SPY), and has paid out 77.6% of its starting value in cash along the way. It pays weekly, and at its current price the latest distribution annualizes to 30.1%. Defiance estimates that 100% of the distribution paid Sep 4, 2026 was a return of capital. That is the issuer’s own Rule 19a-1 estimate and a tax characterization, made before the fund year closes: it says the payment included money the fund gave back rather than earned, not that the fund is eroding.

WDTE (Defiance S&P 500 Weekly Distribution ETF), income ETFs fields as of Sep 11, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Strategyoption income
BenchmarkS&P 500 (SPY)
Paysweekly
Net assets (the issuer own daily fund list, as of Sep 11, 2026)$72m
Latest payout, annualized (ETFIQ)30.1%
Expense ratio (485BPOS XBRL, Dec 17, 2025)1.03%
Cash paid, last 12 months, over today’s price (ETFIQ)32.6%
LaunchedSep 19, 2023
Return of capital, latest distribution (Defiance 19a-1 estimate)100.0%
Paysweekly
Typical gap between ex-dates7 days
Typical wait from ex-date to payment1 day
Last paid, per share$0.168 ex Sep 10, 2026
Sum of the last 12 distributions$2.0519

Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation from exchange prices and cash distributions (Tiingo end-of-day), total return with distributions reinvested. Return of capital is the issuer’s estimate. How these figures are computed

Questions people ask

How much has WDTE paid over the last year?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, WDTE paid 28.1% of its starting price in cash distributions, while the price fell 13.7%.
Is WDTE ahead of SPY?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, with every distribution reinvested, WDTE returned +17.1% against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), so a holder was about even with it by 0.4 points.
How often does WDTE pay, and how much?
WDTE pays weekly. The latest distribution annualizes to 30.1% at its price on Sep 11, 2026, which is not a promise; the next one can differ.
Is the WDTE distribution return of capital?
Defiance estimates 100% of the distribution paid Sep 4, 2026 was return of capital. That is a tax characterization from the fund's own 19a-1 notice, not a measure of erosion.
When does WDTE next pay a distribution?
WDTE pays weekly. The last distribution went ex on Sep 10, 2026 at $0.168 a share. The next is not declared; on a cadence of about 7 days the ex-date falls near Sep 17, 2026, which is an ETFIQ projection. Payment usually follows the ex-date by 1 day.
What does WDTE cost?
The prospectus expense ratio is 1.03% a year.

The words on this page

Total return
What a holder actually ended up with: price change plus every distribution, reinvested. The only figure that answers whether you came out ahead.
Cash paid
Distributions over the window as a share of what the fund cost at the start. A measure of cash delivered, not of return: a fund can pay a great deal and still lose money.
Ahead or behind
The fund’s total return minus the benchmark’s over exactly the same days, in percentage points. Both sides reinvest.
Return of capital
The issuer’s own estimate, in a Rule 19a-1 notice, of how much of a distribution was your own money returned. An estimate and a tax characterization, not a measure of erosion.
Covered call
Selling call options on shares the fund holds. It collects a premium and gives up the gains above the strike, which is why these funds pay well and lag a rising market.

Every term used here, defined in full on the income ETFs vocabulary page.

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.

Funds near this one

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Where WDTE is written about

WDTE, Income ETFs, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. ETFIQ is an independent publisher, is not a fund issuer, broker-dealer or investment adviser, and makes no recommendations.
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Open WDTE live on ETFIQ, where the figures refresh with the data.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, WDTE, income ETFs, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/funds/wdte Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How these figures are computed · Standards and sources