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ETF Comparison

AIHY vs GRID vs NLR: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A side-by-side comparison of Defiance AI Hyperscale Leaders ETF, First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund and VanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated July 23, 2026

Defiance ETFs
ETFs88
Total AUM$10.6B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

Defiance ETFs is known for offering specialized and thematic investment strategies that cater to niche market segments and alternative income approaches. The issuer's lineup spans income-focused funds, leveraged strategies, combinations of leverage with income generation, and thematic products tied to emerging trends and sectors. Defiance emphasizes non-traditional and differentiated strategies rather than broad-based index exposure, appealing to investors seeking targeted exposure beyond conventional ETF offerings.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on AIHY.

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First Trust
ETFs304
Total AUM$281B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

First Trust operates a broad multi-strategy ETF platform with 50 funds spanning allocation, income, alternatives, and thematic investing. The issuer focuses heavily on specialized income strategies, including dividend funds, covered call strategies (Buffer series), and sector-specific income plays, alongside factor-based and alternative investments. Notable tickers like FDN (tech), FAN (clean energy), and the Buffer series (BUFD, BUFQ, BUFR) reflect the issuer's emphasis on income generation and downside protection strategies across diverse market segments.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on GRID.

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VanEck
ETFs84
Total AUM$154B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

VanEck is known for offering specialized and thematic ETFs across diverse asset classes, including commodities, digital assets, and sector-specific investments. The firm's 22-fund lineup spans income-generating options, covered call strategies, and growth-focused equity funds, with popular tickers including GDX (gold miners), SMH (semiconductors), MOAT (competitive advantage stocks), and HODL (bitcoin). VanEck distinguishes itself through niche exposure areas such as digital assets, commodities, and thematic investing strategies, complemented by traditional bond and municipal bond offerings.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on NLR.

See all VanEck ETFs

Side-by-side snapshot

AIHYGRIDNLR
Full nameDefiance AI Hyperscale Leaders ETFFirst Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index FundVanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF
IssuerDefiance ETFsFirst TrustVanEck
Last Close$18.78 as of July 23, 2026$179.80 as of July 23, 2026$111.41 as of July 23, 2026
Distribution yield—1.68%2.84%
Distribution Safety Score™ —7768
Expense ratio0.76%0.57%0.61%
AUM$497,658$11.4B$3.74B
Distribution frequency—QuarterlyAnnual
Underlying index—Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure IndexMVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index
ObjectiveSeeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in the companies building and operating the compute backbone of artificial intelligence — spanning AI compute infrastructure, cloud platforms, data centers, semiconductors, and AI software. Holdings must derive at least 50% of revenues, assets, or spending from AI and demonstrate revenue growing faster than operating expenses.Seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of the Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index.Seeks to replicate the price and yield performance of the MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index.
Asset classEquityEquityEquity
Inception date07/20/202611/16/200908/13/2007
Beta—1.411.13
Last dividend—$0.7560$3.1660
Ex-dividend date—06/25/202612/22/2025

— Distribution yield, last dividend, and ex-dividend date are not yet available because AIHY launched July 2026; these fields will populate after the first distribution.

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

GRID tops the group on trailing twelve-month total return at 26.91%, with NLR at -0.92%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

SymbolYTDSince Jul 2026
AIHY-5.67%-5.67%
GRID15.92%-0.19%
NLR-16.26%2.14%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 23, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Jul 2026” measures every fund from July 21, 2026 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window.

Quick verdict

AIHY (Defiance AI Hyperscale Leaders ETF), GRID (First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund), NLR (VanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF) are ETFs that take different approaches.

NLR offers the highest reported yield at 2.84%, followed by GRID at 1.68%.

GRID is the cheapest with an expense ratio of 0.57%, compared to 0.61% for NLR and 0.76% for AIHY.

GRID has the most assets at $11.4B, but AIHY only launched recently — AUM comparisons will become more meaningful as they build a track record.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment: AIHY has no reported yield yet, GRID generates ~$14.00/month, NLR generates ~$23.67/month at current distribution rates.

AIHY yield—
GRID yield1.68%
NLR yield2.84%

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000: AIHY costs ~$760, GRID costs ~$570, NLR costs ~$610 in fees (simplified, not compounded).

AIHY ER0.76%
GRID ER0.57%
NLR ER0.61%

Strategy & risk

AIHY is an ETF; GRID tracks Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index with an electrification approach; NLR tracks MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index with a nuclear approach.

AIHY beta—
GRID beta1.41
NLR beta1.13

Fund details

AIHY is managed by Defiance ETFs (launched 07/20/2026) with $497,658 in assets. GRID is managed by First Trust (launched 11/16/2009) with $11.4B in assets. NLR is managed by VanEck (launched 08/13/2007) with $3.74B in assets.

AIHY AUM$497,658
GRID AUM$11.4B
NLR AUM$3.74B
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Frequently asked questions

Which of AIHY, GRID, NLR is best for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. NLR currently offers the highest reported distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility, and funds without an established distribution history have no comparable yield to evaluate. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between AIHY, GRID, NLR?

AIHY (Defiance AI Hyperscale Leaders ETF) is an ETF, issued by Defiance ETFs. GRID (First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund) tracks Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index with an electrification approach, issued by First Trust. NLR (VanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF) tracks MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index with a nuclear approach, issued by VanEck.

Can I hold AIHY, GRID, NLR together?

Yes — nothing prevents holding them together. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Which has the lowest fees among AIHY, GRID, NLR?

AIHY has an expense ratio of 0.76%, GRID has an expense ratio of 0.57%, NLR has an expense ratio of 0.61%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 generate in each?

$10,000 in AIHY has no reported monthly income yet. $10,000 in GRID yields ~$14.00/month ($168.00/year). $10,000 in NLR yields ~$23.67/month ($284.00/year).

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