Dividend comparison

QYLD vs RYLD: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Global X - Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF and Global X - Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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QYLD vs RYLD: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. Both charge about 0.60% a year, so cost is not what separates them.
  • Income. RYLD pays more income, yielding 12.32% over the last twelve months versus 11.66% for QYLD. That is about $66 more a year on $10,000. Both pay monthly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, QYLD returned 34.3% versus -1.1% for RYLD, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $13,431 in QYLD and $9,889 in RYLD.
  • Risk. QYLD has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -24.5%, against -21.5% for RYLD.
  • Diversification. QYLD holds 102 positions and RYLD holds 8. The ten largest positions make up 48.9% of QYLD and 100.0% of RYLD.
  • Overlap. QYLD and RYLD share no holdings, so they behave as separate building blocks.
  • Dividend growth. QYLD grew its yearly payout -2.0% a year over the last 4 years, versus -9.1% for RYLD.
  • Size. QYLD is the larger fund with $8.4 billion in assets, against $1.3 billion for RYLD.

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

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
RYLD
Global X - Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)11.66%12.32%
Dividend / share (TTM)$2.13$1.87
Payout frequencyMonthlyMonthly
Last dividend$0.1767 on Sep 24, 2026$0.1475 on Sep 24, 2026
Ex-dividend dateOct 19, 2026Oct 19, 2026
Next payment$0.1830 on Oct 22, 2026$0.1480 on Oct 22, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)-2.0% over 4 yrs-9.1% over 4 yrs
Price$18.28$15.19
Beta0.480.54
Max drawdown (5Y)-24.5%-21.5%
Market cap$8.38B$1.29B
ExchangeNASDAQAMEX
Expense ratio0.60%0.60%
Assets under management$8.36B$1.29B
Number of holdings1028
Top 10 concentration48.9%100.0%
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

RYLD

$102.65/mo

$1232 /yr at 12.32% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. QYLD pays monthly; RYLD pays monthly.
YearQYLDRYLD
2025$2.3793$2.0022
2024$2.1045$1.9660
2023$2.0380$2.1365
2022$2.5261$2.6570
2021$2.5810$2.9360
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 RYLD 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 20, 2021 would now be worth $13,431 in QYLD and $9,889 in RYLD.
PeriodQYLDRYLD
1 month-0.49%-2.57%
3 months2.64%-6.00%
Year to date3.45%-0.72%
1 year6.96%-0.20%
3 years42.70%21.33%
5 years34.31%-1.11%
  • QYLD
  • RYLD
7410814220212022202320242025202613499

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.
  • QYLD
  • RYLD
0%15%30%45%60%Technology60.3%13.9%Healthcare3.8%20.1%Consumer Cyclical10.1%9.0%Financial Services0.2%18.4%Industrials5.1%13.2%Communication Services12.6%2.3%Consumer Defensive5.6%2.8%Energy0.4%6.7%Real Estate0.1%6.5%Basic Materials0.9%4.3%Other1.0%2.9%
QYLD vs RYLD holdings overlap
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.

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%

RYLD8 holdings total

NameWeight
RSSLGLOBAL X RUSSELL 2000 ETF100.03%
RAINRAIN ONCOLOGY INC0.00%

Quick verdict

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

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Frequently asked questions

Is QYLD or RYLD better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. QYLD currently yields 11.66% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while RYLD yields 12.32%. 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 RYLD?
Global X - Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Global X - Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF (RYLD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, QYLD or RYLD?
They cost about the same: QYLD charges 0.60% a year and RYLD charges 0.60%.
Which has performed better, QYLD or RYLD?
Over the last 5 years, QYLD has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: QYLD returned 34.3% and RYLD returned -1.1%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, QYLD or RYLD?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, QYLD has been riskier: QYLD fell as much as 24.5% and RYLD as much as 21.5%. Their betas are 0.48 and 0.54.
How often do QYLD and RYLD pay dividends?
Both pay monthly. The most recent payments were $0.1767 for QYLD and $0.1475 for RYLD.
How much income does $10,000 in QYLD vs RYLD generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in QYLD would generate roughly $97.14 per month ($1166 annually). The same amount in RYLD would produce about $102.65 per month ($1232 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both QYLD and RYLD?
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 RYLD with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how QYLD and RYLD 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.