Dividend comparison

QQQ vs SQQQ: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 and ProShares - UltraPro Short QQQ, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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QQQ vs SQQQ: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. QQQ is cheaper at 0.18% a year versus 0.94% for SQQQ. On $10,000 that is $76 a year less in fees.
  • Income. SQQQ pays more income, yielding 8.64% over the last twelve months versus 0.53% for QQQ. That is about $811 more a year on $10,000. QQQ pays annual, SQQQ pays quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, QQQ returned 97.0% versus -94.9% for SQQQ, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $19,698 in QQQ and $511 in SQQQ.
  • Risk. SQQQ has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -97.6%, against -35.1% for QQQ.
  • Diversification. QQQ holds 102 positions and SQQQ holds 19. The ten largest positions make up 47.2% of QQQ and 57.8% of SQQQ.
  • Dividend growth. SQQQ grew its yearly payout 19.3% a year over the last 3 years, versus 13.3% for QQQ.
  • Size. QQQ is the larger fund with $487.5 billion in assets, against $2.0 billion for SQQQ.

Bottom line: QQQ fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. SQQQ fits better if you care most about more income today and faster dividend growth.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricQQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
SQQQ
ProShares - UltraPro Short QQQ
Dividend yield (TTM)0.53%8.64%
Dividend / share (TTM)$3.79$3.25
Payout frequencyAnnualQuarterly
Last dividend$0.7514 on Oct 8, 2026$0.4734 on Sep 29, 2026
Ex-dividend dateDec 21, 2026Sep 23, 2026
Next payment$0.7941 on Dec 28, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)13.3% over 4 yrs19.3% over 3 yrs
Price$717.63$37.68
Beta1.23-3.43
Max drawdown (5Y)-35.1%-97.6%
Market cap$479.05B$1.77B
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.18%0.94%
Assets under management$487.46B$1.96B
Number of holdings10219
Top 10 concentration47.2%57.8%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

QQQ

$4.40/mo

$53 /yr at 0.53% yield

SQQQ

$71.99/mo

$864 /yr at 8.64% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QQQ pays annual; SQQQ pays quarterly.
YearQQQSQQQ
2025$2.7949$6.4138
2024$3.0623$15.9332
2023$2.3200$26.9396
2022$2.1351$3.7771
2021$1.6968—
Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.

What QQQ vs SQQQ actually do

QQQ
Invesco's fund tracking the Nasdaq-100, the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.

The index is modified market-cap weighted and excludes financials by rule, which is why it lands so heavily in technology, communication services and consumer discretionary names. In December 2025 the fund converted from a unit investment trust to a conventional open-end fund and cut its fee, so it can now reinvest income and lend securities like its peers. It remains the most liquid Nasdaq-100 vehicle by a wide margin and the reference asset for a large share of the options-income products in this category.

Suits investors who want concentrated large-cap growth exposure and anyone who needs deep options liquidity. Dividends are incidental, so it does not answer an income mandate on its own.

Growth-tilted core, concentrated

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $19,698 in QQQ and $511 in SQQQ.
PeriodQQQSQQQ
1 month-0.43%0.91%
3 months3.10%-10.48%
Year to date17.09%-42.87%
1 year17.78%-44.13%
3 years105.61%-91.35%
5 years96.98%-94.89%
  • QQQ
  • SQQQ
-121052222021202220232024202520261975

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • QQQ
  • SQQQ
0%16%32%47%63%Financial Services0.2%63.1%Technology58.8%Cash & Others0.1%36.9%Communication Services12.1%Consumer Cyclical10.2%Consumer Defensive6.1%Industrials5.5%Healthcare4.4%Utilities1.1%Basic Materials1.0%Other0.5%
QQQ vs SQQQ holdings overlap
At least 0% overlap by weight, with 0 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

QQQ102 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp8.17%
AAPLApple Inc7.82%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp6.19%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.42%
MUMicron Technology Inc4.41%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc3.79%
METAMeta Platforms Inc3.28%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc3.15%
TSLATesla Inc3.02%
GOOGAlphabet Inc2.94%

SQQQ19 holdings total

NameWeight
IQMMPROSHARES GENIUS MNY MKT ETF57.80%

Quick verdict

QQQ fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. SQQQ fits better if you care most about more income today and faster dividend growth. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is QQQ or SQQQ better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QQQ currently yields 0.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while SQQQ yields 8.64%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between QQQ and SQQQ?
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. ProShares - UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, QQQ or SQQQ?
QQQ has the lower expense ratio. QQQ charges 0.18% a year and SQQQ charges 0.94%, a difference of $76 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, QQQ or SQQQ?
Over the last 5 years, QQQ has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QQQ returned 97.0% and SQQQ returned -94.9%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SQQQ?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, SQQQ has been riskier: QQQ fell as much as 35.1% and SQQQ as much as 97.6%. Their betas are 1.23 and -3.43.
How often do QQQ and SQQQ pay dividends?
QQQ pays annual and SQQQ pays quarterly.
How much income does $10,000 in QQQ vs SQQQ generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QQQ would generate roughly $4.40 per month ($53 annually). The same amount in SQQQ would produce about $71.99 per month ($864 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QQQ and SQQQ?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare QQQ vs SQQQ with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QQQ and SQQQ fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.