Dividend comparison

XYLD vs QDTE: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF and Roundhill Nasdaq-100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Strategy ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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XYLD vs QDTE: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. XYLD is cheaper at 0.60% a year versus 0.96% for QDTE. On $10,000 that is $36 a year less in fees.
  • Income. QDTE pays more income, yielding 44.45% over the last twelve months versus 10.44% for XYLD. That is about $3,400 more a year on $10,000. XYLD pays monthly, QDTE pays weekly.
  • Performance. Over the last 1 year, XYLD returned 5.6% versus -18.7% for QDTE, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $10,556 in XYLD and $8,130 in QDTE.
  • Risk. QDTE has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 1 year was -24.3%, against -18.6% for XYLD.
  • Diversification. XYLD holds 505 positions and QDTE holds 6. The ten largest positions make up 39.9% of XYLD and 191.0% of QDTE.
  • Size. XYLD is the larger fund with $3.4 billion in assets, against $913 million for QDTE.

Bottom line: XYLD fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 1-year returns, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. QDTE 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.
MetricXYLD
Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF
QDTE
Roundhill Nasdaq-100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Strategy ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)10.44%44.45%
Dividend / share (TTM)$4.32$12.50
Payout frequencyMonthlyWeekly
Last dividend$0.2964 on Sep 24, 2026$0.1292 on Oct 16, 2026
Ex-dividend dateOct 19, 2026Oct 15, 2026
Next payment$0.3140 on Oct 22, 2026—
Dividend growth (CAGR)4.8% over 4 yrs—
Price$41.40$28.13
Dividend growth streak1 year—
Beta0.411.25
Max drawdown (5Y)-18.6%-24.3%
Market cap$3.41B$902.1M
ExchangeAMEXCBOE
Expense ratio0.60%0.96%
Assets under management$3.38B$912.7M
Number of holdings5056
Top 10 concentration39.9%191.0%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

XYLD

$87.02/mo

$1044 /yr at 10.44% yield

QDTE

$370.39/mo

$4445 /yr at 44.45% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. XYLD pays monthly; QDTE pays weekly.
YearXYLDQDTE
2025$5.4603$13.5402
2024$3.9372—
2023$4.2377—
2022$5.3660—
2021$4.5310—
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 XYLD vs QDTE actually do

XYLD
The S&P 500 version of the Global X buy-write approach, owning the index and selling at-the-money monthly index calls.

It tracks the Cboe S&P 500 BuyWrite Index, holding S&P 500 stocks and writing one-month calls at roughly the current index level. The mechanics match its Nasdaq sibling, but S&P 500 implied volatility is lower, so the premium collected and the resulting distribution are smaller. The same distribution guideline applies, capped at the lower of half the premiums received or 1% of net asset value.

Suits someone who wants the buy-write structure applied to a broader, less concentrated index than the Nasdaq-100. Not appropriate for an account that still needs capital growth, since full at-the-money overwriting caps the market return that funds it.

High current income, capped upside

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Mar 7, 2024 would now be worth $12,568 in XYLD and $10,899 in QDTE.
PeriodXYLDQDTE
1 month-0.05%-2.33%
3 months0.61%-3.43%
Year to date1.90%-8.79%
1 year5.56%-18.70%
3 years36.95%—
5 years30.19%—
  • XYLD
  • QDTE
91116140202420252026126109

Both series indexed to 100 on 2024-03-07 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.
  • XYLD
  • QDTE
0%24%47%71%95%Cash & Others0.0%94.7%Technology40.5%Financial Services11.2%5.3%Communication Services9.9%Healthcare9.3%Consumer Cyclical8.8%Industrials7.5%Consumer Defensive4.3%Energy3.4%Utilities1.9%Other3.2%
XYLD vs QDTE 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.

XYLD505 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA CORP8.32%
AAPLAPPLE INC7.57%
MSFTMICROSOFT CORP6.10%
AMZNAMAZON.COM INC3.88%
GOOGLALPHABET INC-CL A3.14%
AVGOBROADCOM INC2.57%
GOOGALPHABET INC-CL C2.51%
METAMETA PLATFORMS INC2.49%
MUMICRON TECHNOLOGY INC1.70%
TSLATESLA INC1.62%

QDTE6 holdings total

NameWeight
4QQQ 271119C00070110QQQ 11/19/2027 70.11 C73.39%
4NDX 270319C02510150NDX 03/19/2027 2510.15 C25.86%
4NDX 261218C024501004NDX US 12/18/26 C2450.1 FLX25.04%
4NDX 270611C03059420NDX 06/11/2027 3059.42 C22.05%
4NDX 260918C022500004NDX US 09/18/26 C2250 FLX18.15%
4QQQ 270917C00070690QQQ 09/17/2027 70.69 C17.65%
WEEKRoundhill Weekly T-Bill ETF5.25%
FGXXXFirst American Government Obligations Fund 12/01/20313.59%

Quick verdict

XYLD fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 1-year returns, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. QDTE 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 XYLD or QDTE better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. XYLD currently yields 10.44% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while QDTE yields 44.45%. 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 XYLD and QDTE?
Global X - S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (XYLD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Roundhill Nasdaq-100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Strategy ETF (QDTE) is an ETF listed on CBOE. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, XYLD or QDTE?
XYLD has the lower expense ratio. XYLD charges 0.60% a year and QDTE charges 0.96%, a difference of $36 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, XYLD or QDTE?
Over the last 1 year, XYLD has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: XYLD returned 5.6% and QDTE returned -18.7%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, XYLD or QDTE?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, QDTE has been riskier: XYLD fell as much as 18.6% and QDTE as much as 24.3%. Their betas are 0.41 and 1.25.
How often do XYLD and QDTE pay dividends?
XYLD pays monthly and QDTE pays weekly.
How much income does $10,000 in XYLD vs QDTE generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in XYLD would generate roughly $87.02 per month ($1044 annually). The same amount in QDTE would produce about $370.39 per month ($4445 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both XYLD and QDTE?
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 XYLD vs QDTE with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how XYLD and QDTE 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.