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Question · Income ETFs

Does a higher yield mean more money?

No, and the two are close to unrelated. Of the 162 broad option income ETFs with a full year to Oct 27, 2026, 60 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.

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Where the return came from, over the year to Oct 27, 2026
USOY50.6 pts behind USO
50.6 pts behind USOUSOY over 1 year: paid 51.1%, price +5.5%, total +73.5%, USO +124.1%, −50.6 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.USO+124.1%USOY+73.5%51.1% as cash50.6 pts behind USOTotal return, distributions reinvested50.6 pts behind USOUSOY over 1 year: paid 51.1%, price +5.5%, total +73.5%, USO +124.1%, −50.6 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.USO+124.1%USOY+73.5%50.6 pts behind USO
GDXY14.6 pts behind GDX
14.6 pts behind GDXGDXY over 1 year: paid 48.1%, price −38.5%, total +5.2%, GDX +19.8%, −14.6 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.GDX+19.8%GDXY+5.2%14.6 pts behind GDXTotal return, distributions reinvested14.6 pts behind GDXGDXY over 1 year: paid 48.1%, price −38.5%, total +5.2%, GDX +19.8%, −14.6 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.GDX+19.8%GDXY+5.2%14.6 pts behind GDX
CHPY42.2 pts ahead of SPY
42.2 pts ahead of SPYCHPY over 1 year: paid 46.3%, price +2.3%, total +55.7%, SPY +13.5%, +42.2 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.SPY+13.5%CHPY+55.7%46.3% of it arrived as cash42.2 pts ahead of SPYTotal return, distributions reinvested42.2 pts ahead of SPYCHPY over 1 year: paid 46.3%, price +2.3%, total +55.7%, SPY +13.5%, +42.2 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.SPY+13.5%CHPY+55.7%42.2 pts ahead of SPY
ULTY6.7 pts ahead of its own holdings
6.7 pts ahead of its own holdingsULTY over 1 year: paid 43.6%, price −54.8%, total −11.5%, its own holdings −18.2%, +6.7 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.its own holdings−18.2%ULTY−11.5%6.7 pts ahead of its own holdingsTotal return, distributions reinvested6.7 pts ahead of its own holdingsULTY over 1 year: paid 43.6%, price −54.8%, total −11.5%, its own holdings −18.2%, +6.7 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.its own holdings−18.2%ULTY−11.5%
XBTY2.1 pts behind Bitcoin
2.1 pts behind BitcoinXBTY over 1 year: paid 38.0%, price −66.3%, total −31.9%, Bitcoin −29.8%, −2.1 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.Bitcoin−29.8%XBTY−31.9%2.1 pts behind BitcoinTotal return, distributions reinvested2.1 pts behind BitcoinXBTY over 1 year: paid 38.0%, price −66.3%, total −31.9%, Bitcoin −29.8%, −2.1 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.Bitcoin−29.8%XBTY−31.9%
YMAX14.4 pts behind its own holdings
14.4 pts behind its own holdingsYMAX over 1 year: paid 35.6%, price −42.5%, total −4.9%, its own holdings +9.5%, −14.4 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.its own holdings+9.5%YMAX−4.9%14.4 pts behind its own holdingsTotal return, distributions reinvested14.4 pts behind its own holdingsYMAX over 1 year: paid 35.6%, price −42.5%, total −4.9%, its own holdings +9.5%, −14.4 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.its own holdings+9.5%YMAX−4.9%
ETCO0.6 pts ahead of Ether
0.6 pts ahead of EtherETCO over 1 year: paid 35.0%, price −71.8%, total −43.5%, Ether −44.1%, +0.6 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.Ether−44.1%ETCO−43.5%0.6 pts ahead of EtherTotal return, distributions reinvested0.6 pts ahead of EtherETCO over 1 year: paid 35.0%, price −71.8%, total −43.5%, Ether −44.1%, +0.6 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.Ether−44.1%ETCO−43.5%
LFGY38.5 pts behind SPY
38.5 pts behind SPYLFGY over 1 year: paid 34.9%, price −56.5%, total −25.0%, SPY +13.5%, −38.5 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.SPY+13.5%LFGY−25.0%38.5 pts behind SPYTotal return, distributions reinvested38.5 pts behind SPYLFGY over 1 year: paid 34.9%, price −56.5%, total −25.0%, SPY +13.5%, −38.5 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.SPY+13.5%LFGY−25.0%38.5 pts behind SPY
QLDY3 pts behind QQQ
3 pts behind QQQQLDY over 1 year: paid 34.4%, price −24.7%, total +12.4%, QQQ +15.4%, −3.0 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.QQQ+15.4%QLDY+12.4%34.4% of it arrived as cash3 pts behind QQQTotal return, distributions reinvested3 pts behind QQQQLDY over 1 year: paid 34.4%, price −24.7%, total +12.4%, QQQ +15.4%, −3.0 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.QQQ+15.4%QLDY+12.4%3 pts behind QQQ
QDTE1 pt ahead of QQQ
1 pt ahead of QQQQDTE over 1 year: paid 34.4%, price −21.7%, total +16.4%, QQQ +15.4%, +1.0 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.QQQ+15.4%QDTE+16.4%34.4% of it arrived as cash1 pt ahead of QQQTotal return, distributions reinvested1 pt ahead of QQQQDTE over 1 year: paid 34.4%, price −21.7%, total +16.4%, QQQ +15.4%, +1.0 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.QQQ+15.4%QDTE+16.4%1 pt ahead of QQQ
RDTYAbout even with IWM
About even with IWMRDTY over 1 year: paid 33.7%, price −23.3%, total +12.8%, IWM +13.1%, −0.3 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.IWM+13.1%RDTY+12.8%33.7% of it arrived as cashabout even with IWMTotal return, distributions reinvestedAbout even with IWMRDTY over 1 year: paid 33.7%, price −23.3%, total +12.8%, IWM +13.1%, −0.3 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.IWM+13.1%RDTY+12.8%about even with IWM
RDTEAbout even with IWM
About even with IWMRDTE over 1 year: paid 33.3%, price −22.8%, total +13.0%, IWM +13.1%, −0.1 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.IWM+13.1%RDTE+13.0%33.3% of it arrived as cashabout even with IWMTotal return, distributions reinvestedAbout even with IWMRDTE over 1 year: paid 33.3%, price −22.8%, total +13.0%, IWM +13.1%, −0.1 pts. Data to Oct 27, 2026.IWM+13.1%RDTE+13.0%about even with IWM

Cash paid and money made are different quantities. A fund pays distributions from option premium, dividends and, when those fall short, the fund itself. That last part is return of capital: the fund handing back money a holder already owned. It raises the yield and lowers the price by the same amount.

Total return settles it: every distribution reinvested on its ex-date, against the fund's own benchmark, over the same days. ETFIQ publishes it for every fund over five windows. The income score ranks on it, not on the payout.

On ETFIQ today

Answered from ETFIQ data as of Oct 27, 2026.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

TickerFundCash paid, 1 yearPrice changeTotal returnAgainst its benchmark
USOYDefiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF51.1%+5.5%+73.5%−50.6 pts
GDXYYieldMax Gold Miners Option Income Strat48.1%−38.5%+5.2%−14.6 pts
CHPYYieldMax Semiconductor Portfolio Option46.3%+2.3%+55.7%+42.2 pts
ULTYYieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ET43.6%−54.8%−11.5%+6.7 pts
XBTYGraniteShares YieldBOOST Bitcoin ETF38.0%−66.3%−31.9%−2.1 pts
YMAXYieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income35.6%−42.5%−4.9%−14.4 pts
ETCOGrayscale Ethereum High Income ETF35.0%−71.8%−43.5%+0.6 pts
LFGYYieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfoli34.9%−56.5%−25.0%−38.5 pts
QLDYDefiance Nasdaq 100 LightningSpread Inco34.4%−24.7%+12.4%−3.0 pts
QDTERoundhill Nasdaq-100 0DTE Covered Call S34.4%−21.7%+16.4%+1.0 pts
RDTYYieldMax R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strateg33.7%−23.3%+12.8%−0.3 pts
RDTERoundhill Russell 2000 0DTE Covered Call33.3%−22.8%+13.0%−0.1 pts
Where to next
The highest yielding income ETFsranking →Ranked by total return stabilityscore →What return of capital meansquestion →
Where these numbers came from
Rule 19a-1 distribution notices and prospectus filings on SEC EDGAR ↗SEC EDGAR, full-text search of fund filings ↗SEC Form N-PORT, what a fund filed it holds ↗Rule 19a-1, what a distribution notice must say ↗

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