QQQ vs TBXU

QQQ vs TBXU

Which is better, QQQ or TBXU?

Large Cap Growth against Trading-Leveraged Equity.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. TBXU led over 1Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: TBXU

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricQQQTBXU
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.98%
AUM$506.1B$3M
Dividend Yield0.42%1.92%
Holdings32122
YTD Return+19.30%+23.85%Best
1Y Return+22.47%+43.65%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+26.18%-
5Y Return (annualized)+15.42%-
Volatility (annualized)21.9%Best38.9%
Max Drawdown-12.0%Best-26.5%
$10,000 over 1 years$12,061$14,385Best
Top 10 Weight46.7%-
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Direxion Shares ETF Trust
CategoryEquityAlternative
StyleLarge Cap GrowthTrading-Leveraged Equity
InceptionMar 10, 1999Oct 1, 2025

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 1, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1 years).

QQQ vs TBXU growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1 years both funds cover.

QQQ vs TBXU Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Direxion Daily Biotech Top 5 Bull 2X ETF (TBXU) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while TBXU returned +43.65%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 23.85% for TBXU.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

TBXU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 38.9% compared with 21.9% for QQQ. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -12.0% for QQQ and -26.5% for TBXU. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at -0.10. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while TBXU charges 0.98%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $98 annually, a gap of $80 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 1.92% for TBXU.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in TBXU2.6%
TBXU already in QQQ44.5%

2.6% of QQQ's money is in holdings TBXU also owns. 44.5% of TBXU's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

4 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 7 in TBXU, against full books of 321 and 22.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 2 positions for TBXU that do not appear in our book for QQQ (43.4% of the fund), and 89 for QQQ that do not appear in TBXU (93.7%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in QQQWeight in TBXUDifference
REGNRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.0.32%12.24%11.92%
GILDGilead Sciences0.77%11.02%10.25%
VRTXNvaesrtex Pharmaceuticals Inc0.55%11.03%10.48%
AMGNAmgen Inc.0.95%10.16%9.21%

44.5% of TBXU is already inside QQQ.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

QQQTBXU

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or TBXU?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while TBXU charges 0.98%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $80 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or TBXU?

Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +43.65% for TBXU, so TBXU leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +20.61% vs +43.85% for TBXU. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or TBXU?

TBXU has been the more volatile fund at 38.9% annualized versus 21.9% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs TBXU -26.5%.

Should I hold both QQQ and TBXU?

QQQ and TBXU have a monthly-return correlation of -0.10, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between QQQ and TBXU?

44.5% of TBXU's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 44.5% of TBXU's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 4 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 7 in TBXU.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or TBXU?

QQQ yields 0.42% while TBXU yields 1.92%, so TBXU currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is TBXU better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. TBXU led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.