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ETF Comparison

JEPQ vs QQQ: Own the Nasdaq-100, or Sell Some Upside for Cash?

A head-to-head of JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income and Invesco QQQ covering overlay, cost, and uncapped index exposure.

Updated October 2, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • JEPQInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 11.14%, generated by selling options premium.
  • QQQInvestors who want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside.

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.

JEPQ has lagged QQQ over the trailing twelve months, posting a 19.92% total return against 24.84%. The lead holds up over 3 years too: QQQ has compounded at 28.26% a year, against 21.79% for JEPQ. JEPQ has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 15.6% against 20.4% for QQQ. 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 cumulative3Y annualizedSince May 2022Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
JEPQ14.90%19.92%21.79%16.49%15.6%0.981.40-20.1%
QQQ22.67%24.84%28.26%21.21%20.4%1.011.46-22.8%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 2, 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 May 2022” measures every fund from May 4, 2022 — 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 trailing 3 years. 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 trailing 3 years) — 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.
MetricJEPQQQQ
Full nameJPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETFInvesco QQQ Trust
IssuerJPMorganInvesco
Last Close$61.04 as of October 2, 2026$749.58 as of October 2, 2026
Distribution rate11.14%0.40%
Trailing 12-month yield11.28%0.41%
Distribution Safety Score™ 9097
Safety-Adjusted Yield 10.03%0.39%
Expense ratio0.35%0.18%
AUM$43.9B$501B
Distribution frequencyMonthlyQuarterly
Underlying indexNasdaq-100Nasdaq-100 Index
ObjectiveSeeks monthly income by combining an actively managed portfolio of equities drawn largely from the Nasdaq-100 Index with equity-linked notes that sell call options on that benchmark.Track the Nasdaq-100 Index, which includes 100 of the largest non-financial Nasdaq stocks.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date05/03/202203/10/1999
Beta0.811.26
Last dividend$0.56687 declared, pays 10/05/2026$0.75143 declared, pays 10/08/2026
Ex-dividend date10/01/202609/21/2026

Bottom lineChoose JEPQ if you want to maximize current income — roughly 11.14%, generated by selling options premium. Choose QQQ if you want a growth tilt and can accept bigger swings for higher upside. There's no free lunch: JEPQ's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while QQQ keeps full price exposure.

JEPQ vs QQQ: overlay cash or the Nasdaq-100?

QQQ keeps the full Nasdaq-100 move. JEPQ sells some of it for cash.

JEPQQQQ
EngineNasdaq premium overlayUncapped Nasdaq-100 index
Expense ratio0.35%0.18%
Distribution rate11.14%0.40%
Fund size$43.9B$501B

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. JEPQ 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.

Income calculator

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

ETFs78
Total AUM$350B

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

JPMorgan is a major provider of ETFs spanning multiple asset classes and strategies, with particular strength in income-focused funds including their popular covered call strategy lineup. Their fund family encompasses broad categories including bond, equity, factor, income, index, international, municipal, and sector ETFs, providing investors with diverse exposure options across markets and investment styles. The issuer offers both core indexed strategies and actively managed solutions, serving investors seeking everything from traditional dividend income to sophisticated factor-based and thematic approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on JEPQ.

ETFs246
Total AUM$1012B

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

Invesco is a major ETF provider known for offering a comprehensive lineup spanning multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company specializes in income-focused products including dividend, covered call, and bond strategies, while also maintaining broad exposure across equity, factor-based, thematic, and ESG investing themes. Invesco's portfolio ranges from index-tracking funds to alternatives and specialized offerings like digital assets and BulletShares, making it one of the more expansive ETF families available to investors.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on QQQ.

Want to go deeper?

Add these ETFs to a sample portfolio and forecast your dividend income over 5+ years — free to start, no credit card.

Quick verdict

JEPQ (JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF) and QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) are both dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

JEPQ offers the higher yield at 11.14% vs 0.40% for QQQ. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

QQQ is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.18% compared to 0.35%.

They have different reference exposures: JEPQ is linked to Nasdaq-100 while QQQ is linked to Nasdaq-100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

QQQ is the larger fund by assets ($501B), but assets alone do not establish trading costs or liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose JEPQ

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF

  • Want to maximize current income — JEPQ distributes roughly 11.14% from selling options premium, vs 0.40% for QQQ.
  • Are comfortable with an options-income strategy — a large payout in exchange for capped upside.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 0.8 vs 1.3 for QQQ.

Choose QQQ

Invesco QQQ Trust

  • Want a growth tilt and can accept larger swings for more upside.
  • Want to keep costs low — a 0.18% expense ratio vs 0.35% for JEPQ.

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, JEPQ would generate roughly $92.83 cash per distribution, while QQQ would produce $10.00 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

JEPQ yield11.14%
QQQ yield0.40%
Cash diff on $10K$82.83

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, JEPQ would cost approximately $350 in fees vs $180 for QQQ (simplified, not compounded). The $170.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

JEPQ ER0.35%
QQQ ER0.18%

Strategy & risk

JEPQ is actively managed around Nasdaq-100 exposure with a covered call approach, while QQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a growth approach. Beta is 0.81 for JEPQ and 1.26 for QQQ, making JEPQ the less volatile of the two by this measure.

JEPQ beta0.81
QQQ beta1.26

Fund details

JEPQ is managed by JPMorgan (launched 05/03/2022) with $43.9B in assets. QQQ is managed by Invesco (launched 03/10/1999) with $501B in assets.

JEPQ AUM$43.9B
QQQ AUM$501B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between JEPQ and QQQ?

QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) tracks the Nasdaq-100 and keeps the full move. JEPQ (JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF) sells some of that upside for monthly cash through equity-linked notes. Cost is 0.35% versus 0.18%; size is $43.9B versus $501B. Distributions are 11.14% and 0.40% as of October 2026. Overlay versus uncapped index is the decision.

What is the current distribution rate for JEPQ and QQQ?

JEPQ currently distributes 11.14% and QQQ 0.40%, 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 JEPQ or QQQ better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. JEPQ 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.

Can I hold both JEPQ and QQQ?

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 JEPQ or QQQ safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — QQQ scores 97, JEPQ scores 90, so QQQ's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. JEPQ has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.81 vs 1.26 for QQQ). 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, JEPQ or QQQ?

JEPQ has an expense ratio of 0.35% while QQQ charges 0.18%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in JEPQ vs QQQ generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in JEPQ would generate roughly $92.83 cash per distribution ($1,114.00 annually). The same in QQQ would produce about $10.00 cash per distribution ($40.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, JEPQ or QQQ?

JEPQ has lagged QQQ over the trailing twelve months, posting a 19.92% total return against 24.84%. The lead holds up over 3 years too: QQQ has compounded at 28.26% a year, against 21.79% for JEPQ. JEPQ has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 15.6% against 20.4% for QQQ. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

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The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.