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ETF Comparison

TSPY vs TSYX: Base Income Strategy or Leveraged LIFT?

TSPY combines S&P 500 exposure with a daily covered-call strategy. TSYX seeks amplified daily exposure to TSPY itself. TSYX therefore layers leverage onto the base fund's equity and options risks.

Updated September 30, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • TSPYInvestors who want the base S&P 500 options strategy and accept equity losses.
  • TSYXInvestors who want amplified daily TSPY exposure and accept compounding and leverage risk.

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 Β· 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.

TSPY has outpaced TSYX over the shared window since Jan 2026, posting a 9.44% total return against 8.17%. TSPY has been the steadier holding, though β€” annualized volatility of 12.9% against 17.3% for TSYX. 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.
SymbolSince Jan 2026Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
TSPY9.44%12.9%0.610.90-9.6%
TSYX8.17%17.3%0.360.54-13.4%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of September 30, 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. β€œSince Jan 2026” measures every fund from January 7, 2026 β€” the start of shared available history β€” so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the shared window since Jan 2026. 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 shared window since Jan 2026) β€” higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window β€” shallower is better.

Distribution rate and SEC yield

MetricTSPYTSYX
Forward distribution rate13.98%15.92%
Trailing 12-month yield14.08%12.34%
30-day SEC yield0.34%1.68%

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 TSPY vs SPY.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricTSPYTSYX
Full nameTappAlpha S&P 500 Growth & Daily Income ETFTSPY LIFT ETF
IssuerTappAlphaTappAlpha
Underlying indexSPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)TSPY (TappAlpha S&P 500 Growth & Daily Income ETF)
Last Close$25.35 as of September 30, 2026$22.87 as of September 30, 2026
Distribution rate13.98%15.92%
Trailing 12-month yield14.08%12.34%
30-day SEC yield0.34%1.68%
Distribution Safety Scoreβ„’ 7965
Safety-Adjusted Yield 11.04%10.35%
Expense ratio0.71%0.98%
AUM$342M$20.2M
Distribution frequencyMonthlyWeekly
ObjectiveThe TappAlpha S&P 500 Growth & Daily Income ETF (the "Fund") seeks current income while maintaining prospects for capital appreciation. The Fund’s secondary investment objective is to seek exposure to the performance of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ("SPY"), subject to a limit on potential investment gains.The Fund seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, of 130% of the daily performance of TSPY. The Fund does not seek to achieve its stated investment objective for a period of time different than a trading day.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception date08/14/202401/07/2026
Beta0.9351.2874
Last dividend$0.2954$0.07 declared, pays 10/01/2026
Ex-dividend date09/01/202609/30/2026

Bottom lineChoose TSPY if you want the base S&P 500 options strategy and accept equity losses. Choose TSYX if you want amplified daily TSPY exposure and accept compounding and leverage risk. No. TSYX's exposure objective is daily. Compounding, financing costs, rebalancing and market volatility can cause longer-period returns to differ from a simple multiple. Daily income generation in TSPY's name also does not mean a daily cash payment; check each fund's current distribution schedule.

TSPY vs TSYX: Base Income Strategy or Leveraged LIFT?

TSPY combines S&P 500 exposure with a daily covered-call strategy. TSYX seeks amplified daily exposure to TSPY itself. TSYX therefore layers leverage onto the base fund's equity and options risks.

TSPYTSYX
ApproachS&P 500 through the base strategyAmplified daily exposure to TSPY
Risk reviewEquity losses and surrendered option upsideBase-fund risks plus daily leverage
Expense ratio0.71%0.98%
Portfolio fitReview combined holdings and weightsReview combined holdings and weights

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. TSPY and TSYX 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 β€” the big yield number is not free.
  • Daily leverage reset. TSYX targets 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 β€” and losses are magnified the same way gains are.

Income calculator

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

ETFs5
Total AUM$830M

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

TappAlpha operates a focused ETF lineup of four funds organized around two main families: Growth & Daily Income and TΒ² Lift Series. The company's fund offerings span growth-oriented strategies and daily income approaches, with ticker symbols including TDAQ, TDAX, TSPY, and TSYX that target investors seeking regular income generation or equity growth exposure. As a smaller, specialized ETF provider, TappAlpha positions itself in a niche segment of the ETF market focused on daily income strategies and differentiated growth approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on TSPY and TSYX.

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Quick verdict

TSPY combines S&P 500 exposure with a daily covered-call strategy. TSYX seeks amplified daily exposure to TSPY itself. TSYX therefore layers leverage onto the base fund's equity and options risks.

No. TSYX's exposure objective is daily. Compounding, financing costs, rebalancing and market volatility can cause longer-period returns to differ from a simple multiple. Daily income generation in TSPY's name also does not mean a daily cash payment; check each fund's current distribution schedule.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, TSPY would generate roughly $116.50 cash per distribution, while TSYX would produce $30.62 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

TSPY yield13.98%
TSYX yield15.92%
Cash diff on $10K$85.88

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, TSPY would cost approximately $710 in fees vs $980 for TSYX (simplified, not compounded). The $270.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.

TSPY ER0.71%
TSYX ER0.98%

Strategy & risk

TSPY combines S&P 500 exposure with a daily covered-call strategy. TSYX seeks amplified daily exposure to TSPY itself. TSYX therefore layers leverage onto the base fund's equity and options risks. Beta describes historical benchmark sensitivity, not guaranteed downside protection.

TSPY beta0.935
TSYX beta1.2874

Fund details

TSPY is managed by TappAlpha (launched 08/14/2024) with $342M in assets. TSYX is managed by TappAlpha (launched 01/07/2026) with $20.2M in assets.

TSPY AUM$342M
TSYX AUM$20.2M

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Frequently asked questions

Will TSYX deliver a fixed multiple of TSPY's long-term return?

No. TSYX's exposure objective is daily. Compounding, financing costs, rebalancing and market volatility can cause longer-period returns to differ from a simple multiple. Daily income generation in TSPY's name also does not mean a daily cash payment; check each fund's current distribution schedule.

How should I compare risk and ownership costs?

Use matching dates and definitions for returns, distributions, and fees. Beta describes historical benchmark sensitivity, not guaranteed downside protection. Check current bid-ask spreads and premiums or discounts; AUM alone does not determine the price available for your order.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.