Questions
Plain answers to 83 questions about buffer, option-income, thematic, leveraged, spot crypto and alternatives ETFs, with figures measured to Oct 20, 2026.
What is a buffer ETF?
A buffer ETF, also called a defined outcome ETF or a buffer fund, absorbs a stated range of an index's losses over a set period in exchange for part of the gain, usually through a ceiling on it. ETFIQ tracks 431 of them, and on Oct 20, 2026, 95 had already reached that ceiling.
How does a buffer ETF reset?
On the last day of its outcome period the options expire, and the next day the fund strikes new terms from that day's option prices while the buffer starts again from zero. ETFIQ tracks 431 buffer ETFs, and 8 of the ones shown here reset within 45 days of Oct 20, 2026.
What is return of capital in an ETF distribution?
Return of capital is the part of a distribution that is not income or realized gains, so it comes back out of the fund's own assets and is not taxed as income in the year it is paid. It lowers the cost basis instead.
Do covered call ETFs lose value?
Many do lose price while paying cash, which is not the same as losing money. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026, 52 of the 160 broad option income ETFs with a full year finished ahead of their benchmark once every distribution was counted and reinvested.
Does a higher yield mean more money?
No, and the two are close to unrelated. Of the 160 broad option income ETFs with a full year to Oct 20, 2026, 52 finished ahead of their benchmark once every distribution was counted and reinvested, and 6 of the 12 paying more than 15% of their price in cash finished behind it.
Do income ETFs on the same stock pay the same?
No, and they are not close. 5 ETFs write options on TSLA. Over the year to Oct 20, 2026 the cash they paid ran from 19.3% of price to 52.8%, and what a holder actually finished with ran from -24.7% to -10.7%.
What is an autocallable ETF?
An autocallable ETF pays a coupon and can be called away early, on dates set in advance. Its downside is a barrier rather than a buffer: above the barrier the holder is whole, and below it they take the whole fall rather than only the part beyond it. ETFIQ covers 27 of them from 9 issuers, paying from 11.2% of price to 14.1% over the year to Oct 20, 2026.
What is active share on an ETF?
Active share is the share of a fund that is not the index, by weight. A fund at 85% active share has 15% of its money in index names at index weights. Across the thematic ETFs ETFIQ tracks, the typical fund holds 32% of its weight in stocks the S&P 500 already owns.
How different is a thematic ETF from the index?
Less different than the name suggests, on average. By their latest holdings filings, the typical thematic ETF ETFIQ tracks carries 32% of its weight in stocks the S&P 500 already holds.
How much do these ETFs cost?
The median option-income ETF ETFIQ tracks charges 0.94% a year, read from each fund's own prospectus rather than a marketing page. What the extra buys, measured.
What is an option income ETF?
A fund that holds an index or a single stock, sells options against it, and pays out what those options earned. ETFIQ tracks 376 of them. The payout is the point and it is not the whole story: over the year to Oct 20, 2026, 90 of the 249 with a full year finished ahead of their benchmark once the cash and the price are counted together.
Which ETFs pay monthly?
185 of the 376 option-income ETFs ETFIQ tracks pay every month. Paying monthly says nothing about how much arrives or whether a holder came out ahead: it is a schedule, not a return.
When do ETFs pay dividends?
An ETF distribution has two dates that matter: the ex-date, which decides who receives it, and the pay date, when the cash arrives. 331 income ETFs have one expected in the next 45 days and 291 of them inside the next 14 days, which is what the calendar shows. 0 have been declared by the issuer rather than projected by ETFIQ.
Which buffer ETFs reset soon?
59 of the 431 buffer ETFs ETFIQ tracks end their outcome period within 60 days of Oct 20, 2026. On the day after it ends the fund strikes new terms from that day's option prices and the buffer starts again from zero.
How concentrated are thematic ETFs?
The typical thematic ETF holds 51% of its money in its ten largest positions. At the top of the range a fund is close to a bet on a handful of companies wearing the name of a theme.
Why did my leveraged ETF lose money?
Because it delivers its multiple over a single day and then resets. Daily results compound, so a run of days is not the multiple times the period’s move, and in a market that falls and comes back it is reliably less. Over the three months to Oct 20, 2026, 504 of 656 leveraged and inverse ETFs finished short of their own stated multiple.
What is a leveraged ETF?
A fund that sets out to return a stated multiple of another thing’s move, each day. ETFIQ tracks 739 of them: 528 long and 211 inverse, on single companies, sectors, broad indices and asset classes. The multiple applies to a day, not to however long it is held.
What is an inverse ETF?
A fund built to return the opposite of what something else does, each day, usually multiplied. ETFIQ tracks 128 of them with a full three months to Oct 20, 2026, and 63 finished short of what their own stated multiple implied over exactly those days. It is a bet the underlying falls, and it is not the same as being short it.
What happens if you hold a leveraged ETF for a year?
Over one year to Oct 20, 2026, 206 of 290 leveraged and inverse ETFs finished short of what their own stated multiple implied over exactly the same days. The multiple erodes, and how far depends on how much the underlying moved about rather than where it ended up: each window below compares what the funds returned against what their own stated multiple would have produced over those days.
What is a single-stock leveraged ETF?
A fund that sets out to return a multiple of one company’s move, each day, and resets at the close. ETFIQ measures 485 of them across 234 companies. Over the three months to Oct 20, 2026 the typical one finished −6.4 points from what its own stated multiple implies, against −2.2 for the leveraged funds built on indices.
What is a synthetic covered call ETF?
A fund that sells call options on something it does not own, holding Treasuries and options to stand in for the shares. ETFIQ measures 91 of them. The typical one advertises a distribution rate of 42% and the highest here is 99%, and of the 61 with a full year behind them, 37 finished behind their benchmark once the cash is counted back in.
Can you lose money in a buffer ETF?
Yes, in four ways, and two of them are happening today. Of the 431 buffer ETFs ETFIQ measures on Oct 20, 2026, 51 sit below where their outcome period started, 64 have begun spending their buffer, and 6 are carrying a fall their buffer does not cover at all, because it does not begin until the reference is already down.
Does a bitcoin ETF actually hold bitcoin?
Yes. A US listed spot bitcoin ETF holds the coin itself with a custodian, and its whole portfolio is that one line. ETFIQ covers 56 spot crypto ETFs across 12 coins and every one of them holds its asset rather than futures on it or shares in companies that own it.
Do crypto ETFs actually track the coin?
Mostly, and the gap is small. Of the 45 spot crypto ETFs ETFIQ can measure on Oct 20, 2026, 36 finished within a point of the coin they hold over their longest window. The difference carries the fee, the custody cost and whatever the market paid for the shares rather than for the coin, all together.
Do crypto ETFs pay staking rewards?
Only the ones holding a proof of stake coin can, which is why no bitcoin fund ever will. Of the 56 spot crypto ETFs ETFIQ covers, 31 hold a coin that can be staked at all, 26 say in their own filings that they stake it, and 16 of those finished ahead of the price of the coin they hold, which is what staking looks like from outside the fund.
Crypto ETF or buy the coin: what is the difference?
The fund holds the coin for you and charges for it, and you own a share rather than the asset. Over their longest window 36 of the 45 spot ETFs ETFIQ measures landed within a point of the coin, so the cost of that arrangement is usually small and it is never nothing.
Do alternatives ETFs diversify a stock portfolio?
Some do, and most only partly. Of the 67 alternatives ETFs ETFIQ measured over the year to Oct 20, 2026, 17 rose on average in the weeks the S&P 500 fell, 1 barely moved, 40 fell less than the index and 9 fell as much or more.
Do managed futures ETFs hold up when stocks fall?
Some did over the last year. Of the 17 managed futures ETFs ETFIQ measured over the year to Oct 20, 2026, 3 rose on average in the weeks the S&P 500 fell, and the median fund fell 40% as much as the index.
Do hedged equity ETFs protect against a fall?
Partly, over the last year. In the weeks the S&P 500 fell, the median hedged equity ETF fell 56% as much as the index. Of the 21, 6 fell less than half as much and 4 rose.
Is there an agriculture ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 agriculture ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is MOO at $1.1bn. The cheapest is VEGI at 0.39%.
Is there an artificial intelligence ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 36 artificial intelligence ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is BAI at $13.0bn. The cheapest is WISE at 0.35%.
Is there an AI infrastructure and chips ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 11 AI infrastructure and chips ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is AIPO at $845m. The cheapest is AIHY at 0.37%.
Is there an AI labs and single company AI ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 AI labs and single company AI ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ANTW at $27m. The cheapest is ANTW at 0.59%.
Is there a beauty and personal care ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single beauty and personal care ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: GLAM, Corgi Beauty, Skincare & Aesthetics ETF, charging 0.35%.
Is there a biotech ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 10 biotech ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is IBB at $10.9bn. The cheapest is PBPH at 0.13%.
Is there a blockchain and crypto equities ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 14 blockchain and crypto equities ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is BLOK at $945m. The cheapest is STCE at 0.30%.
Is there a cannabis ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 5 cannabis ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is MSOS at $752m. The cheapest is WEED at 0.41%.
Is there a clean energy ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 16 clean energy ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ICLN at $2.1bn. The cheapest is CCSO at 0.35%.
Is there a cloud and software ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 8 cloud and software ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is IGV at $14.2bn. The cheapest is CLOD at 0.35%.
Is there a coal ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single coal ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: COAL, Range Global Coal Index ETF, charging 0.85%.
Is there a cooling and thermal management ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single cooling and thermal management ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: HVAC, AdvisorShares HVAC and Industrials ETF, charging 1.00%.
Is there a copper ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 copper ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is COPX at $7.3bn. The cheapest is COPA at 0.35%.
Is there a cybersecurity ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 7 cybersecurity ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is CIBR at $17.3bn. The cheapest is PSWD at 0.20%.
Is there a defense ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 22 defense ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ITA at $11.9bn. The cheapest is GCAD at 0.10%.
Is there a digital infrastructure ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 9 digital infrastructure and data centers ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is DTCR at $2.1bn. The cheapest is UFOX at 0.30%.
Is there an electrification and the grid ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 12 electrification and the grid ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is GRID at $11.4bn. The cheapest is JOUL at 0.35%.
Is there an energy security ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 5 energy security and critical technology ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is IETC at $675m. The cheapest is IETC at 0.18%.
Is there an energy transition ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 9 energy transition and decarbonisation ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is USNZ at $299m. The cheapest is USNZ at 0.10%.
Is there a streaming and live entertainment ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 4 streaming and live entertainment ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is GOLS at $31m. The cheapest is GOLS at 0.00%.
Is there an electric vehicles and batteries ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 8 electric vehicles and batteries ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is DRIV at $351m. The cheapest is WATS at 0.35%.
Is there a fintech and digital payments ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 fintech and digital payments ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ARKF at $791m. The cheapest is KYC at 0.35%.
Is there a gaming, esports and betting ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 8 gaming, esports and betting ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ESPO at $257m. The cheapest is ODDZ at 0.35%.
Is there a genomics and gene editing ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 4 genomics and gene editing ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ARKG at $1.9bn. The cheapest is GNMX at 0.35%.
Is there a gold miners ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 10 gold miners ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is GDX at $26.5bn. The cheapest is AUAU at 0.35%.
Is there a healthcare innovation and GLP-1 ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 8 healthcare innovation and GLP-1 ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is OZEM at $56m. The cheapest is WDNA at 0.45%.
Is there a humanoid robots ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 3 humanoid robots ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is HUMN at $86m. The cheapest is BOTT at 0.35%.
Is there an infrastructure ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 18 infrastructure ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is PAVE at $13.6bn. The cheapest is IFRA at 0.30%.
Is there a broad innovation and megatrends ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 30 broad innovation and megatrends ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is ARKK at $6.1bn. The cheapest is QQQJ at 0.15%.
Is there an internet and e-commerce ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 13 internet and e-commerce ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is FDN at $5.2bn. The cheapest is OGIG at 0.48%.
Is there a lithium and battery metals ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 5 lithium and battery metals ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is LIT at $1.4bn. The cheapest is ILIT at 0.47%.
Is there a longevity and aging ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 2 longevity and aging ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is AGNG at $89m. The cheapest is YUNG at 0.35%.
Is there a memory and storage ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 5 memory and storage ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is DRAM at $18.6bn. The cheapest is DRAM at 0.65%.
Is there a metaverse and immersive tech ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 3 metaverse and immersive tech ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is METV at $225m. The cheapest is FMET at 0.39%.
Is there a millennial and Gen Z consumers ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single millennial and Gen Z consumers ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: MILN, Global X Millennial Consumer ETF, charging 0.50%.
Is there a miners and metals ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 miners and metals ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is XME at $3.8bn. The cheapest is XME at 0.35%.
Is there a nanotechnology ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single nanotechnology ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: TINY, ProShares Nanotechnology ETF, charging 0.58%.
Is there a nuclear and uranium ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 10 nuclear and uranium ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is URA at $5.4bn. The cheapest is URAN at 0.35%.
Is there a pets ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single pets ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: PAWZ, ProShares Pet Care ETF, charging 0.50%.
Is there a photonics and optics ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 3 photonics and optics ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is LAZR at $187m. The cheapest is LYTE at 0.65%.
Is there a 3D printing ETF?
Yes, one. ETFIQ covers a single 3D printing ETF as of Oct 20, 2026: PRNT, The 3D Printing ETF, charging 0.66%.
Is there a quantum computing ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 4 quantum computing ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is QTUM at $5.2bn. The cheapest is CQTM at 0.35%.
Is there a rare earth and critical materials ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 7 rare earth and critical materials ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is REMX at $1.5bn. The cheapest is ISTM at 0.47%.
Is there a reshoring and manufacturing ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 8 reshoring and manufacturing ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is AIRR at $8.5bn. The cheapest is MADE at 0.40%.
Is there a robotics and automation ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 9 robotics and automation ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is BOTZ at $3.3bn. The cheapest is IBOT at 0.47%.
Is there a semiconductors ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 11 semiconductors ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is SMH at $66.6bn. The cheapest is CHPS at 0.15%.
Is there a silver miners ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 4 silver miners ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is SIL at $4.4bn. The cheapest is AGMI at 0.35%.
Is there a space ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 10 space ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is NASA at $985m. The cheapest is DIPR at 0.35%.
Is there a therapeutics and medical devices ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 5 therapeutics and medical devices ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is IHI at $3.5bn. The cheapest is IHI at 0.37%.
Is there a timber and forestry ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 2 timber and forestry ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is WOOD at $251m. The cheapest is WOOD at 0.39%.
Is there a stablecoins and tokenisation ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 5 stablecoins and tokenisation ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is LEGR at $128m. The cheapest is TCAN at 0.50%.
Is there a shipping, aviation and logistics ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 shipping, aviation and logistics ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is JETS at $959m. The cheapest is DOCK at 0.35%.
Is there a travel and leisure ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 3 travel and leisure ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is PEJ at $358m. The cheapest is WNDR at 0.35%.
Is there a water ETF?
Yes. ETFIQ covers 6 water ETFs as of Oct 20, 2026. The largest is PHO at $2.0bn. The cheapest is TBLU at 0.40%.
83 of 83 questions
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