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ETF Comparison

GIAX vs SPYI: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Nicholas Global Equity and Income ETF and NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated October 16, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • GIAXInvestors who want a disclosed call-spread overlay.
  • SPYIInvestors who want index-option exposure and will review its construction.

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

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.

GIAX has lagged SPYI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 11.00% total return against 15.93%. Measured from Jul 2024 — the start of shared available history — SPYI has compounded at 16.41% a year versus 11.83% for GIAX. SPYI has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 10.6% against 27.3% for GIAX. 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 cumulative1Y cumulativeSince Jul 2024Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
GIAX10.50%11.00%11.83%27.3%0.230.32-19.6%
SPYI11.18%15.93%16.41%10.6%1.001.45-7.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 16, 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 Jul 2024” measures every fund from July 30, 2024 — 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 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.

Distribution rate and SEC yield

MetricGIAXSPYI
Forward distribution rate25.67%12.01%
Trailing 12-month yield27.58%11.89%
30-day SEC yield—0.45%

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.

Total return against the stated underlying is on SPYI vs SPY.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricGIAXSPYI
Full nameNicholas Global Equity and Income ETFNEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF
IssuerNicholas Wealth ManagementNEOS
Underlying indexActively managed (no tracked index recorded)S&P 500 Index
Last Close$14.97 as of October 16, 2026$53.35 as of October 16, 2026
Distribution rate25.67%12.01%
Trailing 12-month yield27.58%11.89%
30-day SEC yield—0.45%
Distribution Safety Score™ 3785
Safety-Adjusted Yield 9.50%10.21%
Expense ratio1.03%0.68%
AUM$113M$12.6B
Distribution frequencyWeeklyMonthly
ObjectiveGIAX is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks to generate current income and also capital appreciation. The Fund’s strategy includes two components: holding shares of unaffiliated passively managed ETFs that seek to provide exposure to a range of global equity securities and selling daily index credit call spreads on one or more US equity indexes.Seeks to generate high monthly income in a tax efficient manner while targeting equity appreciation.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date07/29/202408/29/2022
Beta1.52060.69
Last dividend$0.0739$0.5338
Ex-dividend date10/09/202609/16/2026

Bottom lineChoose GIAX if you want a disclosed call-spread overlay. Choose SPYI if you want index-option exposure and will review its construction. GIAX and SPYI both use option or derivative overlays. Their tradeoff is the underlying exposure, how each option strategy is implemented, and the yield each targets; either overlay can limit upside participation, so neither offers uncapped 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. GIAX and SPYI 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.

Income calculator

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

ETFs15
Total AUM$713M

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

Nicholas Wealth Management is known for offering specialized ETFs across digital assets, income generation, and thematic investing strategies. Their fund lineup spans emerging asset classes including cryptocurrency and blockchain exposure, traditional income-focused strategies, and sector-specific themes ranging from nuclear energy to nightlife, appealing to investors seeking both alternative investments and targeted sector exposure. The issuer maintains a focused but diversified portfolio of tickers that caters to both conventional income seekers and those pursuing niche, forward-looking investment themes.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on GIAX.

ETFs20
Total AUM$36.4B

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 SPYI.

Want to go deeper?

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Quick verdict

GIAX (Nicholas Global Equity and Income ETF) and SPYI (NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF) are both dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

GIAX offers the higher yield at 25.67% vs 12.01% for SPYI. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

SPYI is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.68% compared to 1.03%.

They have different reference exposures: GIAX is linked to a basket of Nicholas Growth & Income Equity ETF holdings while SPYI is linked to S&P 500 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

SPYI is the larger fund by assets ($12.6B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose GIAX

Nicholas Global Equity and Income ETF

  • Want disclosed call spreads as the option-income approach; review holdings and issuer disclosures.
  • Want to maximize current income — GIAX distributes roughly 25.67% from selling options premium, vs 12.01% for SPYI.
  • Are comfortable with an options-income strategy — a large payout in exchange for capped upside.

Choose SPYI

NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF

  • Want index-option exposure as the option-income approach; review holdings and issuer disclosures.
  • 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 1.03% for GIAX.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 0.7 vs 1.5 for GIAX.

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, GIAX would generate roughly $49.37 cash per distribution, while SPYI would produce $100.08 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

GIAX yield25.67%
SPYI yield12.01%
Cash diff on $10K$50.72

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, GIAX would cost approximately $1,030 in fees vs $680 for SPYI (simplified, not compounded). The $350.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

GIAX ER1.03%
SPYI ER0.68%

Strategy & risk

GIAX is actively managed around a basket of Nicholas Growth & Income Equity ETF holdings exposure with a call-spread approach, while SPYI tracks S&P 500 Index with an active approach. Beta is 1.5206 for GIAX and 0.69 for SPYI, making SPYI the less volatile of the two by this measure.

GIAX beta1.5206
SPYI beta0.69

Fund details

GIAX is managed by Nicholas Wealth Management (launched 07/29/2024) with $113M in assets. SPYI is managed by NEOS (launched 08/29/2022) with $12.6B in assets.

GIAX AUM$113M
SPYI AUM$12.6B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for GIAX and SPYI?

GIAX currently distributes 25.67% and SPYI 12.01%, based on fund data updated October 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is GIAX or SPYI better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. GIAX 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 GIAX and SPYI?

GIAX (Nicholas Global Equity and Income ETF) is actively managed around a basket of Nicholas Growth & Income Equity ETF holdings exposure with a call-spread approach, while SPYI (NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF) tracks S&P 500 Index with an active approach. They are issued by Nicholas Wealth Management and NEOS respectively.

Can I hold both GIAX and SPYI?

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 GIAX or SPYI safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — SPYI scores 85, GIAX scores 37, so SPYI's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. SPYI has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.69 vs 1.52 for GIAX). 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, GIAX or SPYI?

GIAX has an expense ratio of 1.03% while SPYI charges 0.68%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in GIAX vs SPYI generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in GIAX would generate roughly $49.37 cash per distribution ($2,567.00 annually). The same in SPYI would produce about $100.08 cash per distribution ($1,201.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, GIAX or SPYI?

GIAX has lagged SPYI over the trailing twelve months, posting a 11.00% total return against 15.93%. Measured from Jul 2024 — the start of shared available history — SPYI has compounded at 16.41% a year versus 11.83% for GIAX. SPYI has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 10.6% against 27.3% for GIAX. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

GIAX vs SPYI — at a glance

Generated October 17, 2026.

GIAX holds a basket of global equity ETFs while selling daily call spreads on US indexes, targeting a 25.67% distribution rate. SPYI tracks the S&P 500 Index directly and uses covered calls to produce a 12.01% yield in a more tax-efficient structure. The core distinction: GIAX pursues income through leverage and derivative complexity, while SPYI generates it through systematic single-index covered-call writing.

How they differ

GIAX's strategy rests on selling call spreads (short calls against long calls) on broad US equity indexes daily, layered atop global equity holdings—a two-tier approach that introduces both leverage and spread risk. SPYI, by contrast, executes covered calls on S&P 500 constituents, a simpler single-index mechanism. GIAX's beta of 1.5206 signals amplified upside and downside capture relative to broad markets; SPYI's beta of 0.69 indicates dampened equity sensitivity, consistent with covered-call income generation. GIAX also launched far more recently—07/29/2024—versus SPYI's 08/29/2022, meaning GIAX lacks a full market cycle of live performance data.

Who each is best for

GIAX: Fits investors seeking maximum current income from a diversified global equity base and comfortable with weekly distributions, leverage mechanics, and substantially higher volatility. The combination of call spreads and global holdings appeals to those willing to trade complexity for income aimed at the 25% yield band.

SPYI: Designed for investors pursuing high S&P 500–linked income without the leverage or structural complexity, with a preference for monthly payouts and lower expense ratios. Fits allocations where tax-efficiency and a more measured yield (around 12%) align with risk tolerance tied to large-cap US equity beta dampening. SPYI's 12.01% yield, while elevated, is more consistent with covered-call income mechanics and carries lower erosion risk.

  • Call-spread mechanics and cap risk. GIAX's daily short call spreads cap upside participation in rallies while locking downside protection only to the strike of the long call—a structure that may underperform in sustained bull markets and narrows total return potential.
  • Structural leverage and amplified drawdowns. GIAX's use of call spreads implies implicit leverage and tighter NAV swings; the 1.5206 beta suggests losses will exceed broad-market declines when equity indexes fall, compounding income reinvestment challenges.
  • Limited track record. GIAX's inception in mid-2024 means fewer than 12 months of live data under varying market conditions, making it difficult to assess how the call-spread and global-basket combination performs in downturns or volatility spikes.
  • Covered-call opportunity cost. SPYI's systematic call-selling caps gains if the S&P 500 rallies sharply; however, this is a known tradeoff of the strategy and typically less severe than the cap embedded in GIAX's spread structure. GIAX's extreme yield and minimal operating history warrant particular caution about NAV durability. Past performance does not predict future results; both funds' income strategies depend on continued options volatility and index behavior.

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.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.