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Security Comparison

NVDA vs NVDY: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of NVIDIA Corporation and YieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated October 16, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • NVDAInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
  • NVDYInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 35.45%, generated by selling options premium.

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.

NVDA has lagged NVDY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 18.06% total return against 18.39%. The picture flips over 3 years, though — NVDA has compounded at 67.00% a year, ahead of NVDY at 47.87%. 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 2023Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
NVDA15.08%18.06%67.00%79.95%46.7%1.011.48-36.9%
NVDY13.50%18.39%47.87%53.95%38.2%0.921.27-34.1%

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 May 2023” measures every fund from May 11, 2023 — 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.

Distribution rate, SEC yield and return of capital

MetricNVDANVDY
Forward distribution rate0.24%35.45%
Trailing 12-month yield0.24%53.92%
30-day SEC yield—2.53%
Return of capital—0.00%

Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. Return of capital is the share of a recent distribution that was not income. 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.
MetricNVDANVDY
Full nameNVIDIA CorporationYieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF
Issuer—YieldMax
Last Close$214.13 as of October 16, 2026$11.69 as of October 16, 2026
Distribution rate0.24%35.45%
Trailing 12-month yield0.24%53.92%
30-day SEC yield—2.53%
Distribution Safety Score™ 9535
Safety-Adjusted Yield 0.23%12.41%
Expense ratio—1.09%
AUM—$1.39B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyWeekly
Underlying index—NVIDIA (NVDA)
ObjectiveDesigns and manufactures graphics processing units (GPUs) and system-on-chip units for gaming, professional visualization, data centers, and automotive markets. A leader in AI infrastructure and accelerated computing.YieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF seeks current income while providing indirect exposure to the share price returns of NVIDIA Corporation common stock, subject to a limit on potential investment gains. The fund does not invest directly in NVIDIA Corporation; it uses a synthetic covered call strategy built from standardized exchange-traded options.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception dateN/A05/09/2023
Beta2.2161.37
Last dividend$0.25$0.0797 payable today
Ex-dividend date09/10/202610/15/2026

Bottom lineChoose NVDA if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. Choose NVDY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 35.45%, generated by selling options premium. There's no free lunch: NVDY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while NVDA 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. NVDY 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 security at current yields.

ETFs62
Total AUM$10.0B

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 NVDY.

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Quick verdict

NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation) is a stock, while NVDY (YieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF) is an ETF — their trading structures differ.

NVDY offers the higher yield at 35.45% vs 0.24% for NVDA. 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, NVDA would generate roughly $6.00 cash per distribution, while NVDY would produce $68.17 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

NVDA yield0.24%
NVDY yield35.45%
Cash diff on $10K$62.17

Cost & efficiency

NVDY charges a 1.09% expense ratio — roughly $1,090 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). NVDA is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

NVDY ER1.09%

Strategy & risk

NVDA is a stock built around semiconductors exposure, while NVDY tracks NVIDIA (NVDA) with a covered call approach. Beta is 2.216 for NVDA and 1.37 for NVDY, making NVDY the less volatile of the two by this measure.

NVDA beta2.216
NVDY beta1.37

Security details

NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation) is a stock. NVDY is managed by YieldMax (launched 05/09/2023) with $1.39B in assets.

NVDY AUM$1.39B

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for NVDA and NVDY?

NVDA currently distributes 0.24% and NVDY 35.45%, 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 NVDA or NVDY better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. NVDY 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 NVDA and NVDY?

NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation) is a stock built around semiconductors exposure, while NVDY (YieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF) tracks NVIDIA (NVDA) with a covered call approach. They are issued by — and YieldMax respectively.

Can I hold both NVDA and NVDY?

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 NVDA or NVDY safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — NVDA scores 95, NVDY scores 35, so NVDA's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. NVDY has also shown lower price volatility (beta 1.37 vs 2.22 for NVDA). 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, NVDA or NVDY?

NVDY charges a 1.09% expense ratio. NVDA 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 NVDA vs NVDY generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in NVDA would generate roughly $6.00 cash per distribution ($24.00 annually). The same in NVDY would produce about $68.17 cash per distribution ($3,545.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, NVDA or NVDY?

NVDA has lagged NVDY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 18.06% total return against 18.39%. The picture flips over 3 years, though — NVDA has compounded at 67.00% a year, ahead of NVDY at 47.87%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Dividend dates and history

NVDA vs NVDY — at a glance

Generated October 17, 2026.

NVDY seeks to harvest option premiums for income, capping your upside in exchange for weekly distributions. The two securities offer radically different income profiles and return mechanics despite tracking the same underlying company. If NVIDIA rallies hard, NVDA holders keep all the appreciation; NVDY holders' gains are limited by the strike price of the written calls.

Who each is best for

  • NVDA: Investors seeking growth-oriented exposure to semiconductor leadership and AI infrastructure with minimal income drag, and who can tolerate 2.216 beta volatility over a longer time horizon.
  • NVDY: Income-focused investors who prioritize weekly cash flow and are willing to forgo unlimited upside capture in exchange for a synthetic yield strategy, and who understand options mechanics and call-cap mechanics.

Key risks to know

  • NAV erosion at extreme yields: NVDY's 35.45% distribution rate is unusually high for equity-like exposure. When option strategies generate yields that far exceed underlying stock appreciation, the fund's net asset value tends to decline over time as shareholders receive a mix of income and capital return.
  • Upside cap: NVDY holders' gains are capped by the covered call strikes; NVIDIA rallies beyond those strikes inure to the fund, not to shareholders. In strong upside scenarios, NVDA could significantly outperform NVDY on a total-return basis.
  • Implied volatility and premium compression: The fund's weekly yields depend on elevated implied volatility in NVIDIA options. If implied volatility falls—even if NVIDIA stock price remains flat—option premiums shrink and distributions decline. This risk materialized in late 2023 and 2024 when tech volatility contracted.
  • Single-stock concentration: Both securities concentrate risk entirely in NVIDIA. Any single-company event (product misstep, regulatory headwind, macro slowdown in AI spending) affects both identically; NVDY does not diversify that concentration. If you want unlimited participation in NVIDIA's appreciation and can live on 0.24% yield, NVDA aligns with a growth-oriented profile. Past distribution rates do not guarantee future yields.

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.