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YQQQ YieldMax(R) Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF

Synthetic covered call on QQQ, paying weekly

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, YQQQ paid 22.4% in cash and still finished 27.6 points behind QQQ.

YieldMax · Income ETFs · data as of

Key facts

22.4%Cash paid, 1 year, on its starting price
−4.7%Total return, 1 year
−27.6 ptsAgainst QQQ
86.2%Return of capital, latest payout (YieldMax estimate)

Method

ETFIQ Return Stability Score

8.7joint 155th of 161

YQQQ paid 22.4% in cash. Its price fell 26.3%, so 100% 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 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 ptsWDTE −0.4 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 ptsYQQQ −27.6 ptsYQQQ −27.6 pts−38.1 pts+24.6 pts

3.4% of the 161 sit at or below YQQQ 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%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%WDTE −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%YQQQ −26.3%YQQQ −26.3%−75.0%+68.6%

14% of the 161 sit at or below YQQQ 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−27.6 pts3.450%
what happened to the principal−26.3%1450%

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

16th of 16 income ETFs writing on QQQ, by return against it

What a holder got

YQQQ against QQQYQQQ returned −4.7% with distributions reinvested against +23.0% for Nasdaq-100 (QQQ), a gap of −27.6 pts. Of that, 22.4% arrived as cash rather than price.−4.7%YQQQ total return+23.0%Nasdaq-100 (QQQ)

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, YQQQ returned −4.7% with distributions reinvested and Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) returned +23.0%, so a holder came out behind it by 27.6 points. The lighter segment is the 22.4% that arrived as cash rather than as price.

Method

Period by period

YQQQ over each window to Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowCash paidPriceTotal returnQQQAhead or behind
3 months6.4%−2.5%+4.0%−0.8%+4.7 pts
6 months11.3%−22.5%−11.5%+20.7%−32.2 pts
1 year22.4%−26.3%−4.7%+23.0%−27.6 pts
Since launch36.8%−50.4%−17.2%+52.3%−69.5 pts

Method

When YQQQ pays

YQQQ pays weekly. The last distribution was $0.0379 a share, which went ex on Sep 10, 2026 and was paid on Sep 11, 2026. The issuer has set the next ex-date at Sep 15, 2026, payable Sep 16, 2026, but has not declared the amount.

Expected distributions for YQQQ. 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 15, 2026Sep 16, 2026$0.0379Date set by the issuer, amount not yet declared
Sep 22, 2026Sep 23, 2026$0.0379Date set by the issuer, amount not yet declared
Sep 29, 2026Sep 30, 2026$0.0379Date set by the issuer, amount not yet declared
Oct 6, 2026Oct 7, 2026$0.0379Date set by the issuer, amount not yet declared
Oct 13, 2026Oct 14, 2026$0.0379Date set by the issuer, amount not yet declared
Oct 20, 2026Oct 21, 2026$0.0379Date set by the issuer, amount not yet declared
Every distribution ETFIQ holds for YQQQ (13, most recent first)
Cash distributions per share for YQQQ. Source: ETFIQ from Tiingo end-of-day distributions.
Ex-dateAmount
Sep 10, 2026$0.0379
Sep 3, 2026$0.0395
Aug 27, 2026$0.0387
Aug 20, 2026$0.0378
Aug 13, 2026$0.0392
Aug 6, 2026$0.0587
Jul 30, 2026$0.0651
Jul 23, 2026$0.0705
Jul 16, 2026$0.0542
Jul 9, 2026$0.0548
Jul 2, 2026$0.0516
Jun 25, 2026$0.0483
Jun 18, 2026$0.0401

Every income ETF going ex-dividend in the next fortnight

Method

In plain words

Since it launched on Aug 15, 2024, YQQQ has returned −17.2% with distributions reinvested, against +52.3% for Nasdaq-100 (QQQ), and has paid out 36.8% of its starting value in cash along the way. It pays weekly, and at its current price the latest distribution annualizes to 20.2%. YieldMax estimates that 86% of the distribution paid Sep 11, 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.

YQQQ (YieldMax(R) Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF), income ETFs fields as of Sep 11, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Strategysynthetic covered call
BenchmarkNasdaq-100 (QQQ)
Paysweekly
Net assets (issuer page, as of Sep 11, 2026)$15m
Latest payout, annualized (ETFIQ)20.2%
Expense ratio (485BPOS XBRL, Feb 24, 2026)1.11%
Cash paid, last 12 months, over today’s price (ETFIQ)30.4%
LaunchedAug 15, 2024
Return of capital, latest distribution (YieldMax 19a-1 estimate)86.2%
Paysweekly
Typical gap between ex-dates7 days
Typical wait from ex-date to payment1 day
Last paid, per share$0.0379 ex Sep 10, 2026
Sum of the last 12 distributions$0.5963

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 YQQQ paid over the last year?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, YQQQ paid 22.4% of its starting price in cash distributions, while the price fell 26.3%.
Is YQQQ ahead of QQQ?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, with every distribution reinvested, YQQQ returned −4.7% against +23.0% for Nasdaq-100 (QQQ), so a holder was behind it by 27.6 points.
How often does YQQQ pay, and how much?
YQQQ pays weekly. The latest distribution annualizes to 20.2% at its price on Sep 11, 2026, which is not a promise; the next one can differ.
Is the YQQQ distribution return of capital?
YieldMax estimates 86% of the distribution paid Sep 11, 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 YQQQ next pay a distribution?
YQQQ pays weekly. The last distribution went ex on Sep 10, 2026 at $0.0379 a share. The issuer has set the next ex-date at Sep 15, 2026 but not the amount.
What does YQQQ cost?
The prospectus expense ratio is 1.11% 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 YQQQ is written about

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

How these figures are computed · Standards and sources