Dividend comparison

QYLD vs FEPI: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Global X - Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF and REX FANG & Innovation Equity Premium Income ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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QYLD vs FEPI: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. QYLD is cheaper at 0.60% a year versus 0.65% for FEPI. On $10,000 that is $5 a year less in fees.
  • Income. FEPI pays more income, yielding 26.40% over the last twelve months versus 11.66% for QYLD. That is about $1,474 more a year on $10,000. Both pay monthly.
  • Performance. Over the last 3 years, QYLD returned 42.7% versus 40.7% for FEPI, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $14,270 in QYLD and $14,073 in FEPI.
  • Risk. FEPI has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 3 years was -100.0%, against -24.5% for QYLD.
  • Diversification. QYLD holds 102 positions and FEPI holds 50. The ten largest positions make up 48.9% of QYLD and 66.7% of FEPI.
  • Overlap. 52% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 14 shared holdings.
  • Size. QYLD is the larger fund with $8.4 billion in assets, against $715 million for FEPI.

Bottom line: QYLD fits better if you care most about lower fees, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. FEPI fits better if you care most about more income today.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricQYLD
Global X - Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF
FEPI
REX FANG & Innovation Equity Premium Income ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)11.66%26.40%
Dividend / share (TTM)$2.13$10.94
Payout frequencyMonthlyMonthly
Last dividend$0.1767 on Sep 24, 2026$0.2094 on Oct 15, 2026
Ex-dividend dateOct 19, 2026Oct 14, 2026
Next payment$0.1830 on Oct 22, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)-2.0% over 4 yrs—
Price$18.28$41.43
Beta0.481.09
Max drawdown (5Y)-24.5%-100.0%
Market cap$8.38B$715.1M
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.60%0.65%
Assets under management$8.36B$714.6M
Number of holdings10250
Top 10 concentration48.9%66.7%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

QYLD

$97.14/mo

$1166 /yr at 11.66% yield

FEPI

$219.98/mo

$2640 /yr at 26.40% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QYLD pays monthly; FEPI pays monthly.
YearQYLDFEPI
2025$2.3793$11.6079
2024$2.1045$13.4931
2023$2.0380—
2022$2.5261—
2021$2.5810—
Strategy: Options income
These funds own equities and sell call options against them, converting a share of future price appreciation into cash paid out now. How much upside is surrendered depends on the design: writing at the money on the whole portfolio pays the most and keeps the least, while writing on a partial slice or using purchased offsets keeps more of a rally. Distributions come mainly from option premium rather than from company dividends, so the headline yield is not comparable to a dividend fund's.

Payouts are variable rather than contractual, are often taxed as ordinary income, and a fund that pays out more than the strategy earns will see its net asset value drift down over time.

What QYLD vs FEPI actually do

QYLD
A Global X ETF that owns the Nasdaq-100 and sells at-the-money monthly calls against the entire portfolio.

It follows the Cboe Nasdaq-100 BuyWrite V2 Index: hold the constituents, then write a one-month index call struck at roughly the current level. Writing at the money collects the maximum premium but leaves almost no room to participate when the index rises, so in an up year the fund keeps the premium and forfeits the move. Global X's stated guideline caps the monthly distribution at the lower of half the premiums received or 1% of net asset value, with the excess reinvested.

Suits an investor whose priority is the largest, steadiest monthly payment available from Nasdaq exposure and who does not need the principal to grow. It is a poor long-horizon holding: surrendering nearly all upside on a high-growth index while paying out the premium has historically left the share price grinding lower over full cycles.

Maximum current income, capped upside

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 4, 2023 would now be worth $14,149 in QYLD and $14,073 in FEPI.
PeriodQYLDFEPI
1 month-0.49%-2.95%
3 months2.64%1.94%
Year to date3.45%-9.05%
1 year6.96%-9.97%
3 years42.70%40.73%
5 years34.31%—
  • QYLD
  • FEPI
941311672023202420252026141141

Both series indexed to 100 on 2023-10-04 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.
  • QYLD
  • FEPI
0%17%34%51%68%Technology60.3%67.5%Communication Services12.6%19.3%Consumer Cyclical10.1%13.2%Consumer Defensive5.6%Industrials5.1%Healthcare3.8%Utilities1.0%Basic Materials0.9%Energy0.4%Financial Services0.2%Other0.1%0.0%
QYLD vs FEPI holdings overlap
52% overlap by weight, with 14 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsQYLD weightFEPI weight
AAPLAPPLE INC7.80%6.99%
NVDANVIDIA CORP8.55%6.56%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP6.30%6.75%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC4.83%6.51%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC4.39%6.72%
AMDADVANCED MICRO DEVICES4.20%6.16%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC3.46%6.47%
GOOGLALPHABET INC-CL A3.25%6.70%
TSLATESLA INC3.11%6.61%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.65%6.42%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

QYLD102 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA CORP8.55%
AAPLAPPLE INC7.80%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP6.30%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC4.83%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC4.39%
AMDADVANCED MICRO DEVICES4.20%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC3.46%
GOOGLALPHABET INC-CL A3.25%
TSLATESLA INC3.11%
SPCXSPACE EXPLORATION TECHN-CL A3.03%

FEPI50 holdings total

NameWeight
AAPLAPPLE INC6.99%
NFLXNETFLIX INC6.94%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP6.75%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC6.72%
GOOGLALPHABET INC-CL A6.70%
TSLATesla Inc.6.61%
NVDANVIDIA CORP6.56%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC6.51%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC6.47%
AVGOBroadcom Inc.6.42%

Quick verdict

QYLD fits better if you care most about lower fees, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. FEPI fits better if you care most about more income today. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is QYLD or FEPI better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QYLD currently yields 11.66% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while FEPI yields 26.40%. 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 QYLD and FEPI?
Global X - Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. REX FANG & Innovation Equity Premium Income ETF (FEPI) 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, QYLD or FEPI?
QYLD has the lower expense ratio. QYLD charges 0.60% a year and FEPI charges 0.65%, a difference of $5 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, QYLD or FEPI?
Over the last 3 years, QYLD has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QYLD returned 42.7% and FEPI returned 40.7%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QYLD or FEPI?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, FEPI has been riskier: QYLD fell as much as 24.5% and FEPI as much as 100.0%. Their betas are 0.48 and 1.09.
How much do QYLD and FEPI overlap?
About 52% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 14 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are AAPL, NVDA, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do QYLD and FEPI pay dividends?
Both pay monthly. The most recent payments were $0.1767 for QYLD and $0.2094 for FEPI.
How much income does $10,000 in QYLD vs FEPI generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QYLD would generate roughly $97.14 per month ($1166 annually). The same amount in FEPI would produce about $219.98 per month ($2640 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QYLD and FEPI?
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 QYLD vs FEPI with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QYLD and FEPI 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.