Question · Income ETFs

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.

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Where the return came from, over the year to Oct 21, 2026
MRNY258.6 pts behind MRNA
258.6 pts behind MRNAMRNY over 1 year: paid 104.4%, price +170.8%, total +535.6%, MRNA +794.2%, −258.6 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.MRNA+794.2%MRNY+535.6%258.6 pts behind MRNATotal return, distributions reinvested258.6 pts behind MRNAMRNY over 1 year: paid 104.4%, price +170.8%, total +535.6%, MRNA +794.2%, −258.6 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.MRNA+794.2%MRNY+535.6%258.6 pts behind MRNA
WNTR13.3 pts ahead of short MSTR
13.3 pts ahead of short MSTRWNTR over 1 year: paid 83.4%, price −50.7%, total +13.1%, short MSTR −0.2%, +13.3 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.short MSTR−0.2%WNTR+13.1%83.4% of it arrived as cash13.3 pts ahead of short MSTRTotal return, distributions reinvested13.3 pts ahead of short MSTRWNTR over 1 year: paid 83.4%, price −50.7%, total +13.1%, short MSTR −0.2%, +13.3 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.short MSTR−0.2%WNTR+13.1%13.3 pts ahead of short MSTR
AMDW17.6 pts ahead of AMD
17.6 pts ahead of AMDAMDW over 1 year: paid 73.5%, price +29.8%, total +149.8%, AMD +132.2%, +17.6 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.AMD+132.2%AMDW+149.8%73.5% as cash17.6 pts ahead of AMDTotal return, distributions reinvested17.6 pts ahead of AMDAMDW over 1 year: paid 73.5%, price +29.8%, total +149.8%, AMD +132.2%, +17.6 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.AMD+132.2%AMDW+149.8%17.6 pts ahead of AMD
FIAT21.4 pts ahead of short COIN
21.4 pts ahead of short COINFIAT over 1 year: paid 72.1%, price −37.6%, total +34.4%, short COIN +13.0%, +21.4 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.short COIN+13.0%FIAT+34.4%72.1% of it arrived as cash21.4 pts ahead of short COINTotal return, distributions reinvested21.4 pts ahead of short COINFIAT over 1 year: paid 72.1%, price −37.6%, total +34.4%, short COIN +13.0%, +21.4 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.short COIN+13.0%FIAT+34.4%21.4 pts ahead of short COIN
AMDY40.3 pts behind AMD
40.3 pts behind AMDAMDY over 1 year: paid 68.9%, price −9.0%, total +91.9%, AMD +132.2%, −40.3 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.AMD+132.2%AMDY+91.9%68.9% as cash40.3 pts behind AMDTotal return, distributions reinvested40.3 pts behind AMDAMDY over 1 year: paid 68.9%, price −9.0%, total +91.9%, AMD +132.2%, −40.3 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.AMD+132.2%AMDY+91.9%40.3 pts behind AMD
AMYY115.4 pts behind AMD
115.4 pts behind AMDAMYY over 1 year: paid 60.7%, price −50.6%, total +16.8%, AMD +132.2%, −115.4 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.AMD+132.2%AMYY+16.8%115.4 pts behind AMDTotal return, distributions reinvested115.4 pts behind AMDAMYY over 1 year: paid 60.7%, price −50.6%, total +16.8%, AMD +132.2%, −115.4 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.AMD+132.2%AMYY+16.8%115.4 pts behind AMD
CVNY9.7 pts ahead of CVNA
9.7 pts ahead of CVNACVNY over 1 year: paid 53.7%, price −55.1%, total −7.1%, CVNA −16.8%, +9.7 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.CVNA−16.8%CVNY−7.1%9.7 pts ahead of CVNATotal return, distributions reinvested9.7 pts ahead of CVNACVNY over 1 year: paid 53.7%, price −55.1%, total −7.1%, CVNA −16.8%, +9.7 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.CVNA−16.8%CVNY−7.1%9.7 pts ahead of CVNA
TSYY9.1 pts behind TSLA
9.1 pts behind TSLATSYY over 1 year: paid 52.9%, price −67.9%, total −21.8%, TSLA −12.7%, −9.1 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.TSLA−12.7%TSYY−21.8%9.1 pts behind TSLATotal return, distributions reinvested9.1 pts behind TSLATSYY over 1 year: paid 52.9%, price −67.9%, total −21.8%, TSLA −12.7%, −9.1 pts. Figures to Oct 21, 2026.TSLA−12.7%TSYY−21.8%9.1 pts behind TSLA

Issuers estimate the split on a Rule 19a-1 notice with each distribution, and the estimate is not final until the tax year closes. ETFIQ shows the issuer's own figure, never a computed one.

A high return of capital figure is not automatically a warning. A fund that writes options can pay cash labeled return of capital while its total return is healthy. What matters is whether the fund earned what it paid. The price change beside the cash shows that.

So ETFIQ always shows return of capital beside the price change over the same period.

On ETFIQ today

Points (pts) are percentage points.

On ETFIQ today
TickerFundCash paid 1YPrice 1YTotal return 1YReturn of capital, latest
MRNYYieldMax MRNA Option Income Strategy ETF104.4%+170.8%+535.6%not published
WNTRYieldMax MSTR Short Option Income Strategy ETF83.4%−50.7%+13.1%not published
AMDWRoundhill AMD WeeklyPay ETF73.5%+29.8%+149.8%not published
FIATYieldMax Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF72.1%−37.6%+34.4%not published
AMDYYieldMax AMD Option Income Strategy ETF68.9%−9.0%+91.9%not published
AMYYGraniteShares YieldBOOST AMD ETF60.7%−50.6%+16.8%not published
CVNYYieldMax CVNA Option Income Strategy ETF53.7%−55.1%−7.1%not published
TSYYGraniteShares YieldBOOST TSLA ETF52.9%−67.9%−21.8%not published
Answered from ETFIQ data as of Oct 21, 2026.
Where to next
Every income ETF376 →The vocabularyvocabulary →Do covered call ETFs lose value?question →
Where these figures 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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ETFIQ, What is return of capital in an ETF distribution?, data as of Oct 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/questions/what-is-return-of-capital

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