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ETF Comparison

LFGY vs ULTY: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of YieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF and YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated July 21, 2026

ETFs59
Total AUM$9.28B

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

YieldMax is known for specializing in options-based and income-focused ETFs that emphasize yield generation through covered call strategies and other income-producing methodologies. The firm operates a diverse lineup of 63 funds organized across multiple families including covered call strategies, 0DTE (zero days to expiration) options, double distribution approaches, and various target-date and performance-based portfolios designed to generate regular distributions. Notable offerings span popular underlying assets like major technology stocks and broad market indices, with a particular emphasis on providing enhanced income solutions for investors seeking regular cash flows through options strategies and other tactical approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on LFGY and ULTY.

Side-by-side snapshot

LFGYULTY
Full nameYieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETFYieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF
IssuerYieldMaxYieldMax
Last Close$20.21 as of July 21, 2026$27.25 as of July 21, 2026
Distribution yield49.81%62.97%
Distribution Safety Score™ 3750
Expense ratio1.02%1.14%
AUM$97.8M$850M
Distribution frequencyWeeklyWeekly
Underlying indexBasket (Crypto industry & technology equities)Basket (High Volatility stocks)
ObjectiveCovered CallCovered Call
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date01/13/202502/21/2024
Beta2.24921.3581
Last dividend$0.1936$0.3300
Ex-dividend date07/22/202607/22/2026

Bottom lineChoose LFGY if you want crypto exposure that pays you along the way, not just price gains. Choose ULTY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 62.97%, generated by selling options premium. There's no free lunch: ULTY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while LFGY keeps full price exposure.

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Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

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

Total returns

LFGY has outpaced ULTY over the trailing twelve months, posting a -13.06% total return against -15.11%. Measured from Jan 2025 — when the younger fund began trading — ULTY has compounded at -3.02% a year versus -3.45% for LFGY. ULTY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 22.2% against 39.8% for LFGY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

SymbolYTD1YSince Jan 2025Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
LFGY-0.81%-13.06%-3.45%39.8%-0.47-0.63-36.0%
ULTY-2.21%-15.11%-3.02%22.2%-0.95-1.20-24.2%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 20, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Jan 2025” measures every fund from January 14, 2025 — 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.

Quick verdict

LFGY (YieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF) and ULTY (YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF) are both weekly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

ULTY offers the higher yield at 62.97% vs 49.81% for LFGY. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

LFGY is cheaper with an expense ratio of 1.02% compared to 1.14%.

They track different benchmarks: LFGY is linked to Basket (Crypto industry & technology equities) while ULTY tracks Basket (High Volatility stocks), which means their performance drivers differ.

ULTY is the larger fund by assets ($850M), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Who should choose each?

Choose LFGY

YieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF

  • Want crypto exposure that pays income rather than waiting on price alone.
  • Want to keep costs low — a 1.02% expense ratio vs 1.14% for ULTY.

Choose ULTY

YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF

  • Want to maximize current income — ULTY distributes roughly 62.97% from selling options premium, vs 49.81% for LFGY.
  • Are comfortable with an options-income strategy — a large payout in exchange for capped upside.
  • Prefer lower volatility — a beta of 1.4 vs 2.2 for LFGY.

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, LFGY would generate roughly $415.08/month, while ULTY would produce $524.75/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay weekly distributions.

LFGY yield49.81%
ULTY yield62.97%
Monthly diff on $10K$109.67

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, LFGY would cost approximately $1,020 in fees vs $1,140 for ULTY (simplified, not compounded). The $120.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

LFGY ER1.02%
ULTY ER1.14%

Strategy & risk

LFGY tracks Basket (Crypto industry & technology equities) with a covered call approach, while ULTY tracks Basket (High Volatility stocks) with a covered call approach. Beta is 2.2492 for LFGY and 1.3581 for ULTY, indicating ULTY is less volatile relative to the market.

LFGY beta2.2492
ULTY beta1.3581

Fund details

LFGY is managed by YieldMax (launched 01/13/2025) with $97.8M in assets. ULTY is managed by YieldMax (launched 02/21/2024) with $850M in assets.

LFGY AUM$97.8M
ULTY AUM$850M

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Frequently asked questions

Is LFGY or ULTY better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. ULTY 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 LFGY and ULTY?

LFGY (YieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF) tracks Basket (Crypto industry & technology equities) with a covered call approach, while ULTY (YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF) tracks Basket (High Volatility stocks) with a covered call approach. They are issued by YieldMax and YieldMax respectively.

Can I hold both LFGY and ULTY?

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.

Which has lower fees, LFGY or ULTY?

LFGY has an expense ratio of 1.02% while ULTY charges 1.14%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in LFGY vs ULTY generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in LFGY would generate roughly $415.08 per month ($4,981.00 annually). The same in ULTY would produce about $524.75 per month ($6,297.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, LFGY or ULTY?

LFGY has outpaced ULTY over the trailing twelve months, posting a -13.06% total return against -15.11%. Measured from Jan 2025 — when the younger fund began trading — ULTY has compounded at -3.02% a year versus -3.45% for LFGY. ULTY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 22.2% against 39.8% for LFGY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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LFGY vs ULTY — at a glance

Generated July 2026 from current fund data.

Overview

LFGY and ULTY are both covered-call ETFs that sell weekly options against baskets of equities to generate income. LFGY targets crypto-adjacent and technology companies with a beta of 2.25, while ULTY focuses on high-volatility stocks with a beta of 1.36. The key distinction is volatility exposure: LFGY bets on the crypto and tech sector's price swings to fuel call premium; ULTY casts a wider net across volatile equities while accepting lower systemic risk.

How they differ

The biggest difference is underlying volatility and sector concentration. LFGY's beta of 2.25 means it amplifies broad-market moves significantly and is tethered to crypto-industry sentiment; ULTY's 1.36 beta provides similar income mechanics but with substantially lower systematic risk and diversification across high-vol stocks beyond just crypto and tech. Second, ULTY yields 61.35% versus LFGY's 52.41%—an extra 9 percentage points annually—while charging a slightly higher expense ratio of 1.14% versus 1.02%. Third, ULTY has nearly seven times the AUM ($914M versus $127M) and a full year of operational history, whereas LFGY launched in mid-January 2025 and remains a test case for strategy and manager execution in real market conditions.

Who each is best for

LFGY: Fits investors with high risk tolerance who believe crypto and semiconductor valuations will remain volatile and want sector-specific call premium capture—and who can handle sharp downside swings without panic-selling.

ULTY: Designed for income-focused investors who want aggressive weekly distributions from options without betting everything on crypto-tech momentum, accepting moderate rather than elevated systematic risk in exchange.

Key risks to know

  • NAV erosion at extreme distribution yields. Both funds pay out 52–61% annualized, rates that far exceed sustainable equity returns; this structure almost certainly relies on return-of-capital treatment, eroding principal over time unless call premiums and underlying appreciation offset distributions entirely.
  • Sector and holdings concentration in LFGY. A basket of crypto-adjacent and tech stocks is inherently correlated during sector downturns; the 2.25 beta means losses amplify when sentiment shifts, and call writing doesn't protect against gap-down openings or sector-wide selloffs.
  • Options expiration and roll risk. Weekly call rolls mean fees, slippage, and reinvestment timing gaps; if call premium dries up during low-volatility periods, distributions will fall sharply, and if LFGY or ULTY's underlying rallies hard, calls get exercised and upside is capped.
  • Newly launched strategy risk for LFGY. Inception in January 2025 means no real bear market, volatility spike, or multi-month stress test yet; ULTY has over a year of field data, while LFGY's track record is untested.

Bottom line

If you're comfortable with sector volatility and want pure crypto-tech exposure via options, LFGY offers focused leverage; if you prefer aggressive income with lower systematic risk and a longer operational track record, ULTY's higher AUM and lower beta suggest a more established playbook. Both funds erode capital at these yield levels unless underlying gains and call premiums persistently outpace distributions—a test that past performance does not guarantee.

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

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