DV
Dividend Vision

ETF Comparison

TECL vs TQQQ: Which 3x Daily Index Are You Levering?

A head-to-head of Direxion's Daily Technology Bull 3X Shares and ProShares UltraPro QQQ covering the index underneath, cost, and daily reset.

Data updated August 19, 2026

Best for

  • TECLInvestors who want broad equity exposure.
  • TQQQInvestors who want higher current income (0.94% vs 0.41% for TECL).

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

TECL has outpaced TQQQ over the trailing twelve months, posting a 95.59% total return against 55.74%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: TECL has compounded at 46.89% a year, against 40.15% for TQQQ. 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.
SymbolYTD1Y3Y5Y10YSince Feb 2010Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
TECL65.68%95.59%64.32%28.49%46.89%40.93%74.4%0.610.84-66.6%
TQQQ38.20%55.74%57.62%18.41%40.15%42.58%60.7%0.680.94-58.0%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of August 19, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Feb 2010” measures every fund from February 11, 2010 — 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 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.
MetricTECLTQQQ
Full nameDirexion Daily Technology Bull 3X SharesProShares UltraPro QQQ
IssuerDirexionProShares
Last Close$202.10 as of August 19, 2026$72.53 as of August 19, 2026
Distribution yield0.41%0.94%
Distribution Safety Score™ 6056
Expense ratio0.87%0.82%
AUM$6.37B$38.5B
Distribution frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Underlying indexTechnology Select Sector IndexNasdaq-100 Index
ObjectiveSeeks daily investment results of 300% of the performance of the Technology Select Sector Index.Seek daily investment results, before fees, that correspond to three times the daily performance of the Nasdaq-100 Index.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date12/17/200802/09/2010
Beta4.964.02
Last dividend$0.2090$0.1710
Ex-dividend date06/23/202606/24/2026

Bottom lineChoose TECL if you want broad equity exposure. Choose TQQQ if you want higher current income (0.94% vs 0.41% for TECL).

TECL vs TQQQ: which index is levered 3x?

Daily 3x reset is the product on both sides. The only lasting difference is the index: US technology versus the Nasdaq-100.

TECLTQQQ
IndexTechnology Select Sector IndexNasdaq-100 Index
Leverage3x daily3x daily
Expense ratio0.87%0.82%
Distribution yield0.41%0.94%
RoleTrading vehicle, not a core holdingTrading vehicle, not a core holding

How the risk works

Read this before the income numbers below: the strategy mechanics on this page shape what those payouts can cost you.

  • Daily leverage reset. TECL and TQQQ target a multiple of the index's DAILY move, resetting every session. Over weeks and months the compounding of daily resets (volatility decay) can drag returns far below the stated multiple, especially in choppy markets — and losses are magnified the same way gains are.

Learn the mechanics: Why daily-reset leverage decays

Model this comparison:
Compare in my portfolio Forecast income Save to watchlist

Income calculator

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

Direxion
ETFs134
Total AUM$71.5B

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

Direxion is known for offering leveraged and inverse ETFs that enable investors to amplify or hedge market exposure across various asset classes and market segments. The firm's fund lineup focuses primarily on income-generating strategies and leveraged products, featuring both daily leveraged long positions and inverse (bearish) funds designed for tactical trading and hedging purposes. The issuer maintains a broad range of tickers covering sectors, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and equity indices, appealing to active traders and investors seeking non-traditional exposure management tools.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on TECL.

See all Direxion ETFs
ProShares
ETFs169
Total AUM$130B

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

ProShares is known for offering leveraged and inverse ETFs that provide amplified exposure to market movements, along with thematic and income-focused strategies. Their fund lineup spans digital assets (including Bitcoin and Ethereum exposure through BITO and EETH), dividend strategies like the Dividend Aristocrats fund (NOBL), covered call income strategies, and leveraged/inverse products that track major indices with 2x or 3x daily multipliers (such as SSO and TQQQ for tech-heavy portfolios). With 23 ETFs across specialized families including leveraged products, money market funds, and sector-specific offerings, ProShares serves investors seeking both traditional income and alternative exposure strategies.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on TQQQ.

See all ProShares ETFs

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.

Compare in my portfolio Forecast income Save to watchlist

Quick verdict

TECL (Direxion Daily Technology Bull 3X Shares) and TQQQ (ProShares UltraPro QQQ) are both quarterly-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

TQQQ offers the higher yield at 0.94% vs 0.41% for TECL. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

TQQQ is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.82% compared to 0.87%.

They track different benchmarks: TECL is linked to Technology Select Sector Index while TQQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

TQQQ is the larger fund by assets ($38.5B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, TECL would generate roughly $3.42/month, while TQQQ would produce $7.83/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay quarterly distributions.

TECL yield0.41%
TQQQ yield0.94%
Monthly diff on $10K$4.42

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, TECL would cost approximately $870 in fees vs $820 for TQQQ (simplified, not compounded). The $50.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

TECL ER0.87%
TQQQ ER0.82%

Strategy & risk

TECL tracks Technology Select Sector Index with a leverage approach, while TQQQ tracks Nasdaq-100 Index with a leverage approach. Beta is 4.96 for TECL and 4.02 for TQQQ, making TQQQ the less volatile of the two by this measure.

TECL beta4.96
TQQQ beta4.02

Fund details

TECL is managed by Direxion (launched 12/17/2008) with $6.37B in assets. TQQQ is managed by ProShares (launched 02/09/2010) with $38.5B in assets.

TECL AUM$6.37B
TQQQ AUM$38.5B
Ready to act?
Open in Comparator Model in portfolio See pricing

Enjoyed this page?

Do us a favor — if you found this comparison useful, please share it with a friend researching dividend ETFs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between TECL and TQQQ?

Both reset daily at three times an index, so leverage decay is the product, not a side effect. TECL (Direxion Daily Technology Bull 3X Shares) levers Technology Select Sector Index — the US technology sector. TQQQ (ProShares UltraPro QQQ) levers Nasdaq-100 Index, which includes non-tech Nasdaq-100 names and excludes financials by rule. Cost is 0.87% versus 0.82%. Distributions (0.41% and 0.94% as of August 2026) are noise. Neither is a long-term substitute for the unlevered index it tracks.

What is the current distribution yield for TECL and TQQQ?

TECL currently distributes 0.41% and TQQQ 0.94%, based on fund data updated August 2026. Distribution yield moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is TECL or TQQQ better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. TQQQ 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 TECL and TQQQ?

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 TECL or TQQQ safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — TECL scores 60, TQQQ scores 56, so TECL's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. TQQQ has also shown lower price volatility (beta 4.02 vs 4.96 for TECL). 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, TECL or TQQQ?

TECL has an expense ratio of 0.87% while TQQQ charges 0.82%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.

How much income does $10,000 in TECL vs TQQQ generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in TECL would generate roughly $3.42 per month ($41.00 annually). The same in TQQQ would produce about $7.83 per month ($94.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, TECL or TQQQ?

TECL has outpaced TQQQ over the trailing twelve months, posting a 95.59% total return against 55.74%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: TECL has compounded at 46.89% a year, against 40.15% for TQQQ. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

TECL vs TQQQ — at a glance

Generated August 15, 2026.

Figures quoted in this analysis are from its generation date and may lag the live snapshot table above, which always shows the latest data.

Overview

TECL and TQQQ are both 3x leveraged equity ETFs designed to deliver triple the daily performance of their underlying indexes. TECL targets the Technology Select Sector Index—the large-cap tech stocks within the S&P 500—while TQQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100, a broader tech-heavy index that includes mid-caps and extends beyond the S&P 500. The key distinction is scope: TECL is narrower (S&P 500 tech only), while TQQQ captures a wider tech universe plus non-tech Nasdaq components.

How they differ

TQQQ's underlying universe is meaningfully wider. The Nasdaq-100 includes mid-cap tech names and non-tech Nasdaq-listed stocks that fall outside the S&P 500 tech sector. TECL is confined to the largest tech names in the S&P 500—think Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and their peers—making it more concentrated by construction.

TQQQ has substantially larger assets under management at $37.8B versus TECL's $6.14B, which typically means tighter bid-ask spreads and lower trading friction. Both charge similar expense ratios (TQQQ at 0.88%, TECL at 0.94%), but TQQQ's yield of 0.89% is more than double TECL's 0.38%, reflecting the Nasdaq-100's dividend profile. TECL's higher beta of 4.96 versus TQQQ's 4.02 suggests TECL amplifies market swings more aggressively, likely owing to its concentrated exposure to the largest tech names.

Who each is best for

TECL: Fits investors seeking concentrated exposure to the largest S&P 500 tech stocks with triple daily leverage and willing to accept the tightest focus and highest beta volatility in exchange for maximum amplification of mega-cap tech moves.

TQQQ: Fits investors who want 3x daily leverage to the broader Nasdaq-100—including mid-cap tech and non-tech Nasdaq names—and prefer higher trading liquidity and a modest dividend yield alongside leverage.

Key risks to know

  • Daily reset and compounding decay. Both ETFs rebalance daily to maintain their 3x leverage target. In sideways or volatile markets, compounding drag can erode NAV relative to a buy-and-hold 3x position, especially over periods longer than a few days or weeks.
  • Concentration in mega-cap tech. TECL's S&P 500 tech exposure is heavily weighted to the largest names; TQQQ is less concentrated but still dominated by mega-cap Nasdaq tech stocks. Shared exposure means both are vulnerable to the same sector-wide drawdowns; holdings overlap should be verified before combining them.
  • Leverage amplification during downturns. A 10% drop in the underlying index translates to roughly a 30% loss in the leveraged ETF. Both securities can decline sharply in tech selloffs, and margin calls or forced liquidations among large holders could accelerate losses.
  • Expense drag at these leverage levels. TECL and TQQQ incur costs to maintain their 3x leverage daily. Over time, those expenses—combined with compounding drag—can materially reduce returns relative to unleveraged exposure to the same indexes.
  • NAV tracking and derivative costs. Both ETFs use equity futures and swaps to achieve 3x daily leverage. Basis risk, swap pricing, and derivative-market frictions can occasionally cause meaningful deviations from the target 3x multiple on any given day.

Bottom line

TQQQ offers broader market access, deeper liquidity, and a higher yield in exchange for slightly lower beta volatility; TECL provides narrower, more concentrated mega-cap tech leverage at a higher volatility premium. Both carry significant leverage risk and are designed for short-term tactical positioning, not long-term buy-and-hold investing. Past performance does not predict future results.

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.

Dividend growth vs. high yield Yield on cost, explained How expense ratios eat returns

Still deciding? Compare them against your own portfolio

See how each ETF fits alongside your real holdings — forecast future income, analyze overlap, and gauge risk. Start a free 7-day Dividend Vision trial and make the call with your full portfolio in view.

Start Free Open in Comparator Browse Screener