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ETF Comparison

BTCI vs QQQI: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF and NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated September 4, 2026

Best for

  • BTCIInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 22.95%, generated by selling options premium.
  • QQQIInvestors who are comfortable trading away most upside for a large, steady payout.

Jump to the side-by-side numbers

Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

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

Total returns

BTCI has lagged QQQI over the trailing twelve months, posting a -27.56% total return against 19.53%. Measured from Oct 2024 — when the younger fund began trading — QQQI has compounded at 19.02% a year versus 6.81% for BTCI. QQQI has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 16.4% against 40.2% for BTCI. 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.
SymbolYTD1YSince Oct 2024Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
BTCI-12.51%-27.56%6.81%40.2%-0.91-1.21-48.4%
QQQI11.88%19.53%19.02%16.4%0.811.14-9.6%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 4, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; windows of one year or longer are annualized. “Since Oct 2024” measures every fund from October 17, 2024 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the past year. 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 past year) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricBTCIQQQI
Full nameNEOS Bitcoin High Income ETFNEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF
IssuerNEOSNEOS
Underlying indexBitcoin ETPsNasdaq-100
Last Close$32.88 as of September 4, 2026$54.75 as of September 4, 2026
Distribution rate22.95%14.29%
Distribution Safety Score™ 4684
Safety-Adjusted Yield 10.56%12.00%
Expense ratio0.98%0.68%
AUM$1.30B$14.1B
Distribution frequencyMonthlyMonthly
ObjectiveSeeks to generate high monthly income with potential appreciation through bitcoin exposure.Seeks to generate high monthly income in a tax efficient manner while targeting equity appreciation.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date10/16/202401/29/2024
Beta1.67641.0553
Last dividend$0.6289$0.6518
Ex-dividend date08/19/202608/19/2026

Bottom lineChoose BTCI if you want to maximize current income — roughly 22.95%, generated by selling options premium. Choose QQQI if you are comfortable trading away most upside for a large, steady payout. There's no free lunch: BTCI's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while QQQI 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.

  • Capped upside and premium dependence. BTCI and QQQI generate 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.
  • Crypto volatility. BTCI sits on top of crypto-asset prices, which routinely swing far more than equities. A single drawdown can exceed a year of distributions, so income projections deserve extra skepticism here.

Learn the mechanics: Return of capital, explained · NAV erosion, explained

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Income calculator

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

NEOS
ETFs19
Total AUM$32.9B

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

NEOS is known for developing specialized income-focused ETFs that employ strategies like covered calls, hedging, and enhanced yields across various asset classes. The firm manages 19 funds organized into nine distinct families, including offerings in equity high income, fixed income enhancement, digital assets, and alternative strategies, with popular tickers like SPYI (S&P 500 covered call), QQQI (Nasdaq-100 covered call), and QQQH (Nasdaq-100 hedged equity income). NEOS distinguishes itself in the ETF landscape through its emphasis on income generation and downside protection strategies rather than traditional growth approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on BTCI and QQQI.

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Quick verdict

BTCI (NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF) and QQQI (NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF) are both monthly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

BTCI offers the higher yield at 22.95% vs 14.29% for QQQI. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

QQQI is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.68% compared to 0.98%.

They have different reference exposures: BTCI is linked to Bitcoin ETPs while QQQI is linked to Nasdaq-100, which means their performance drivers differ.

QQQI is the larger fund by assets ($14.1B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose BTCI

NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF

  • Want to maximize current income — BTCI distributes roughly 22.95% from selling options premium, vs 14.29% for QQQI.
  • Want crypto exposure that pays income rather than waiting on price alone.

Choose QQQI

NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF

  • Are comfortable with an options-income strategy — a large payout in exchange for capped upside.
  • Want to keep costs low — a 0.68% expense ratio vs 0.98% for BTCI.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 1.1 vs 1.7 for BTCI.

Not sure? Use the income calculator and snapshot above to weigh these trade-offs against your own goals.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, BTCI would generate roughly $191.25/month, while QQQI would produce $119.08/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay monthly distributions.

BTCI yield22.95%
QQQI yield14.29%
Monthly diff on $10K$72.17

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, BTCI would cost approximately $980 in fees vs $680 for QQQI (simplified, not compounded). The $300.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

BTCI ER0.98%
QQQI ER0.68%

Strategy & risk

BTCI tracks Bitcoin ETPs with a crypto approach, while QQQI is actively managed around Nasdaq-100 exposure with an active approach. Beta is 1.6764 for BTCI and 1.0553 for QQQI, making QQQI the less volatile of the two by this measure.

BTCI beta1.6764
QQQI beta1.0553

Fund details

BTCI is managed by NEOS (launched 10/16/2024) with $1.30B in assets. QQQI is managed by NEOS (launched 01/29/2024) with $14.1B in assets.

BTCI AUM$1.30B
QQQI AUM$14.1B
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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for BTCI and QQQI?

BTCI currently distributes 22.95% and QQQI 14.29%, 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 BTCI or QQQI better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. BTCI 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 BTCI and QQQI?

BTCI (NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF) tracks Bitcoin ETPs with a crypto approach, while QQQI (NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF) is actively managed around Nasdaq-100 exposure with an active approach. They are issued by NEOS and NEOS respectively.

Can I hold both BTCI and QQQI?

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 BTCI or QQQI safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — QQQI scores 84, BTCI scores 46, so QQQI's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. QQQI has also shown lower price volatility (beta 1.06 vs 1.68 for BTCI). 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, BTCI or QQQI?

BTCI has an expense ratio of 0.98% while QQQI charges 0.68%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in BTCI vs QQQI generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in BTCI would generate roughly $191.25 per month ($2,295.00 annually). The same in QQQI would produce about $119.08 per month ($1,429.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, BTCI or QQQI?

BTCI has lagged QQQI over the trailing twelve months, posting a -27.56% total return against 19.53%. Measured from Oct 2024 — when the younger fund began trading — QQQI has compounded at 19.02% a year versus 6.81% for BTCI. QQQI has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 16.4% against 40.2% for BTCI. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

BTCI vs QQQI — at a glance

Generated September 6, 2026.

Overview

BTCI and QQQI are both monthly-distribution ETFs from NEOS that use covered-call overlay strategies to generate high income. Both aim for tax efficiency, but they operate in fundamentally different asset classes with very different volatility profiles.

How they differ

BTCI's 22.95% yield dwarfs QQQI's 14.29%, but that gap reflects Bitcoin's 1.6764 beta versus QQQI's 1.0553 beta—crypto volatility powers much higher call premiums. BTCI launched 1 year ago; QQQI, 2 years ago. QQQI's $14.1B in assets under management significantly exceeds BTCI's $1.30B, suggesting different investor risk appetites. BTCI's expense ratio is 0.98%, compared to QQQI's 0.68%, a modest gap given BTCI's added complexity managing Bitcoin derivatives. Both distribute monthly and employ covered calls to cap upside while funding distributions—the structural trade-off is identical, only the underlying volatility differs.

Who each is best for

BTCI: Fits investors with high risk tolerance seeking cryptocurrency exposure who are comfortable with substantial monthly distributions funded partly through call premiums and who can manage the tax and reinvestment mechanics of a 22.95% yield.

QQQI: Fits investors who want large-cap tech exposure with a meaningful income overlay who prioritize a lower volatility ride (1.0553 beta) and can accept call-capped upside as the price of monthly cash flow. This erodes underlying NAV over time absent significant price appreciation in the Bitcoin ETPs.

  • Covered-call cap on upside. Both funds systematically sell call options, which caps gains if Bitcoin (BTCI) or the Nasdaq-100 (QQQI) rallies sharply. Investors forgo outsized bull-market returns in exchange for steady income.
  • Cryptocurrency volatility and custody risk (BTCI). Bitcoin's price can swing 20%+ in weeks. BTCI's 1.6764 beta reflects this. Additionally, the fund depends on the stability of Bitcoin ETP issuers and custodians—regulatory or operational failure at a counterparty could impair holdings.
  • Options expiration and reinvestment timing (both). Monthly option cycles create timing risk: sharp intra-month moves can force early assignment or force QQQI/BTCI to roll calls at unfavorable prices, locking in losses during downturns.
  • Expense drag in flat or down markets. At 0.98% and 0.68% annual costs, plus the structural drag of short calls, neither fund recovers easily if its underlying asset class treads water. A flat Bitcoin market or Nasdaq-100 decline compounds the yield-against-capital-appreciation math.

Bottom line

BTCI and QQQI serve opposite risk profiles within the same structural template. If you're already comfortable with Bitcoin and want maximum income regardless of volatility, BTCI's 22.95% yield may justify the NAV erosion risk and 1.6764-level swings. If you want equity upside clipped but cushioned by 14.29% income and lower volatility (1.0553 beta), QQQI's larger asset base and lower expense ratio make it the steadier vehicle. Past performance doesn't predict future results; monitor each fund's NAV trend and underlying asset performance to gauge whether distributions are sustainable.

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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