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Security Comparison

BABA vs BBYY: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and GraniteShares YieldBOOST BABA ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated September 30, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • BABAInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
  • BBYYInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 40.96%, generated by selling options premium.

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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

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

BABA has lagged BBYY over the year to date, posting a -30.95% total return against -27.27%. BBYY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 22.1% against 40.6% for BABA. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD cumulativeSince Oct 2025Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
BABA-30.95%-35.48%40.6%-1.26-1.82-47.3%
BBYY-27.27%-28.12%22.1%-1.80-2.44-33.1%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 30, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Oct 2025” measures every fund from October 21, 2025 — the start of shared available history — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the shared window since Oct 2025. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the shared window since Oct 2025) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Distribution rate and SEC yield

MetricBABABBYY
Forward distribution rate0.98%40.96%
Trailing 12-month yield0.98%128.22%
30-day SEC yield—0.94%

Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. A 30-day SEC yield can sit far from the headline distribution rate; both numbers are the fund's own published fields.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricBABABBYY
Full nameAlibaba Group Holding Ltd.GraniteShares YieldBOOST BABA ETF
Issuer—GraniteShares
Last Close$107.54 as of September 30, 2026$8.75 as of September 30, 2026
Distribution rate0.98%40.96%
Trailing 12-month yield0.98%128.22%
30-day SEC yield—0.94%
Distribution Safety Score™ 5049
Safety-Adjusted Yield —20.07%
Expense ratio—1.07%
AUM—$613,094
Distribution frequencyAnnualWeekly
Underlying index—Alibaba (BABA)
Objective—Seeks to provide weekly income through selling near-the-money put spreads on leveraged ETFs linked to Alibaba Group, with built-in risk control through the put spread collar structure.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception dateN/A10/21/2025
Beta0.5—
Last dividend$1.05$0.06893
Ex-dividend date06/11/202609/25/2026

Bottom lineChoose BABA if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. Choose BBYY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 40.96%, generated by selling options premium. There's no free lunch: BBYY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while BABA keeps full price exposure.

How the risk works

Read this before the income numbers below: the strategy mechanics on this page shape what those payouts can cost you.

  • Daily leverage reset. BBYY targets a multiple of the index's DAILY move, resetting every session. Over weeks and months the compounding of daily resets (volatility decay) can drag returns far below the stated multiple, especially in choppy markets — and losses are magnified the same way gains are.
  • Capped upside and premium dependence. BBYY generates income by selling options, which trades away part of a strong rally in exchange for premium. Distributions can include return of capital, and a payout the underlying assets cannot sustain shows up as NAV erosion over time — the big yield number is not free.

Learn the mechanics: Return of capital, explained · NAV erosion, explained · Why daily-reset leverage decays

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Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each security at current yields.

GraniteShares
ETFs93
Total AUM$11.8B

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

GraniteShares is known for offering specialized ETF strategies that extend beyond traditional equity and bond investing, particularly through structured products and income-focused solutions. The firm manages 48 ETFs organized around distinct fund families including Autocallable products, Commodities, Income strategies, Leveraged exposures, and their YieldBOOST line designed to enhance distributions. GraniteShares targets investors seeking alternative income generation methods and commodity access, with popular tickers like AHD, CRY, and FBL representing their diverse approach to yield enhancement and alternative asset classes.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on BBYY.

See all GraniteShares ETFs

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Quick verdict

BABA (Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.) is a stock, while BBYY (GraniteShares YieldBOOST BABA ETF) is an ETF — their trading structures differ.

BBYY offers the higher yield at 40.96% vs 0.98% for BABA. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, BABA would generate roughly $98.00 cash per distribution, while BBYY would produce $78.77 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

BABA yield0.98%
BBYY yield40.96%
Cash diff on $10K$19.23

Cost & efficiency

BBYY charges a 1.07% expense ratio — roughly $1,070 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). BABA is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

BBYY ER1.07%

Strategy & risk

BABA is a stock, while BBYY tracks Alibaba (BABA).

BABA beta0.5
BBYY beta—

Security details

BABA (Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.) is a stock. BBYY is managed by GraniteShares (launched 10/21/2025) with $613,094 in assets.

BBYY AUM$613,094
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for BABA and BBYY?

BABA currently distributes 0.98% and BBYY 40.96%, based on fund data updated September 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is BABA or BBYY better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. BBYY currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between BABA and BBYY?

BABA (Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.) is a stock, while BBYY (GraniteShares YieldBOOST BABA ETF) tracks Alibaba (BABA). They are issued by — and GraniteShares respectively.

Can I hold both BABA and BBYY?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. 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.

Is BABA or BBYY safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — they are effectively tied: BABA scores 50, BBYY scores 49. Neither has a clear safety edge on that measure. No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee, and the leverage, options-income, or crypto caveats flagged on this page apply regardless of score.

Which has lower fees, BABA or BBYY?

BBYY charges a 1.07% expense ratio. BABA is a stock, not a fund, so it has no expense ratio — owning it directly costs nothing in ongoing fund fees.

How much income does $10,000 in BABA vs BBYY generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in BABA would generate roughly $98.00 cash per distribution ($98.00 annually). The same in BBYY would produce about $78.77 cash per distribution ($4,096.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, BABA or BBYY?

BABA has lagged BBYY over the year to date, posting a -30.95% total return against -27.27%. BBYY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 22.1% against 40.6% for BABA. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

BABA vs BBYY — at a glance

Generated September 27, 2026.

Overview

BABA is Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., a Chinese e-commerce and cloud-computing conglomerate trading as a stock. The two securities offer vastly different risk profiles, income frequency, and structural mechanics, despite both tracking the same underlying company.

Who each is best for

BABA: Fits investors seeking direct equity ownership of a large-cap Chinese tech and commerce business, with moderate volatility relative to markets and modest annual income from dividends.

BBYY: Fits income-focused investors with high risk tolerance who prioritize frequent (weekly) cash flow over principal preservation and are comfortable with the complexity and risks embedded in leveraged-ETF put spreads.

Key risks to know

  • NAV erosion at extreme distribution yields. BBYY's 40.98% annualized yield is unsustainable from underlying Alibaba dividends or typical option premium; achieving it likely requires selling deep downside protection or returning capital via NAV decline. Monitor the fund's reported sources of distribution (income, return of capital, options premium realization) over quarters.
  • Options structure and roll risk. BBYY sells weekly put spreads on leveraged Alibaba ETF instruments, not Alibaba shares directly. If the leveraged ETF's roll mechanics, decay, or liquidity deteriorate—or if Alibaba's volatility spikes—the spread strategy may underperform or require wider collars, reducing yield and increasing capital risk.
  • Single-stock and single-country concentration. Both securities are fully exposed to Alibaba and, by extension, Chinese regulatory risk, competition risk in e-commerce, and currency risk.
  • Leverage decay in sideways or declining markets. BBYY targets leveraged Alibaba ETFs; these products decay in flat or choppy markets due to daily rebalancing. A prolonged sideways Alibaba price could erode the underlying instrument's value independently of spot price moves, reducing the collateral backing the put spreads and pressuring the fund.
  • BABA regulatory and valuation risk. Alibaba faces Chinese government scrutiny, data protection enforcement, and competitive pressures in its cloud and e-commerce segments. Chinese regulatory shocks can be abrupt and severe, affecting both direct equity and synthetic-income strategies alike.

Bottom line

If you want direct, passive exposure to Alibaba with minimal friction and annual income, BABA is straightforward equity ownership. If you prioritize weekly cash flow and can tolerate leverage decay, options-roll complexity, and the risk that high yields may come partly from NAV erosion, BBYY's synthetic-income structure may align with your cash-flow timeline—though its $613,094 is tiny and its strategy is only months old. Past performance does not guarantee future results; BBYY's short track record provides limited evidence of how the put-spread collar behaves across full market cycles.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

Learn the method

The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

How covered-call funds work How to read a fund's stats The covered-call opportunity cost

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.