Dividend Vision Lists
Best Safety-Adjusted Yield ETFs
Income ETFs ranked by Safety-Adjusted Yield — each fund's distribution rate multiplied by its Distribution Safety Score — so the funds offering the most durable income per unit of yield rise to the top, and fragile high-yielders fall away.
Updated October 2026 · 60 funds
DV Scorecard
Our proprietary snapshot of this list — averages and standouts, computed from the funds below. Not investment advice.
Headline yield tells you what a fund pays; it says nothing about whether the payment will last. Safety-Adjusted Yield fixes that by weighting each fund's distribution rate by our Distribution Safety Score — so a durable 8% outranks a fragile 15%, and the number rewards income you can actually keep.
This page ranks the income-ETF universe by that single metric, filtered to funds yielding at least 4% that also clear a solid Distribution Safety Score. It's the view only Dividend Vision can build: the same funds everyone screens for yield, re-sorted by how durable that yield looks.
How this screen works
One proprietary metric does the ranking: Safety-Adjusted Yield.
- Metric: Safety-Adjusted Yield = distribution rate × (Distribution Safety Score ÷ 100). A 10% yield at a score of 80 scores 8.0%; a 20% yield at a score of 30 scores just 6.0%.
- Yield floor: at least 4%, to keep the list income-focused.
- Safety floor: a Distribution Safety Score of 60+, so the ranking showcases durable income rather than gambles.
- Rank: highest Safety-Adjusted Yield first.
Best Safety-Adjusted Yield ETFs
Ranked live from our data pipeline on every build — click any column header to re-sort, or open a ticker for the full analysis. We never hard-code the figures.
| Ticker | Fund | Safety-Adj. Yield | Yield | Distribution Safety Score™ ⓘ | Cadence | AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHPY | YieldMax Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF | 27.6% | 44.52% | 62 | Weekly | $1.2B |
| MINY | YieldMax Strategic Metals & Mining Portfolio Option Income ETF | 19.4% | 31.82% | 61 | Weekly | $9M |
| IVVW | iShares S&P 500 BuyWrite ETF | 18.0% | 23.73% | 76 | Monthly | $350M |
| XLEI | State Street® Energy Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 16.7% | 21.10% | 79 | Monthly | $166M |
| KYLD | Kurv High Income ETF | 16.4% | 27.29% | 60 | Weekly | $53M |
| EGGS | NestYield Total Return Guard ETF | 15.9% | 25.68% | 62 | Monthly | $58M |
| XXV | Simplify Ancorato Target 25 Distribution ETF | 15.8% | 26.32% | 60 | Monthly | $55M |
| XQQI | NEOS Boosted Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF | 15.5% | 22.43% | 69 | Monthly | $398M |
| SLVX | Nicholas Silver Income ETF | 15.5% | 23.06% | 67 | Weekly | $8M |
| QQQT | Defiance Nasdaq 100 Income Target ETF | 15.2% | 21.14% | 72 | Monthly | $52M |
| TDAX | TDAQ LIFT ETF | 14.3% | 20.11% | 71 | Weekly | $73M |
| SPYT | Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF | 14.3% | 20.36% | 70 | Monthly | $167M |
| TSYX | TSPY LIFT ETF | 14.1% | 20.14% | 70 | Weekly | $20M |
| CAIQ | Calamos Nasdaq Autocallable Income ETF | 14.1% | 18.54% | 76 | Monthly | $385M |
| XLUI | State Street® Utilities Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 13.7% | 22.16% | 62 | Monthly | $60M |
| TDAQ | TappAlpha Innovation 100 Growth & Daily Income ETF | 13.3% | 17.50% | 76 | Monthly | $452M |
| XPAY | Roundhill S&P 500 Target 20 Managed Distribution ETF | 13.1% | 21.18% | 62 | Monthly | $184M |
| KGLD | Kurv Gold Enhanced Income ETF | 13.1% | 16.54% | 79 | Monthly | $165M |
| XLSI | State Street® Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 12.8% | 16.25% | 79 | Monthly | $22M |
| XSPI | NEOS Boosted S&P 500 High Income ETF | 12.8% | 17.29% | 74 | Monthly | $128M |
| IWMI | NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF | 12.8% | 15.19% | 84 | Monthly | $1.3B |
| KQQQ | Kurv Technology Titans Select ETF | 12.5% | 14.93% | 84 | Monthly | $134M |
| PAYH | TrueShares S&P Autocallable High Income ETF | 12.5% | 16.90% | 74 | Monthly | $36M |
| DRKY | VistaShares Target 15™ Stanley Druckenmiller Income ETF | 12.5% | 16.42% | 76 | Monthly | $21M |
| SURI | Simplify Propel Opportunities ETF | 12.4% | 16.36% | 76 | Quarterly | $75M |
| KCOP | Kurv Copper & Mining Enhanced Income ETF | 12.2% | 16.50% | 74 | Monthly | $36M |
| QQQI | NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF | 11.9% | 14.19% | 84 | Monthly | $14.9B |
| TSPY | TappAlpha S&P 500 Growth & Daily Income ETF | 11.9% | 14.18% | 84 | Monthly | $359M |
| FTQI | First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF | 11.9% | 12.14% | 98 | Monthly | $1.0B |
| IWMW | iShares Russell 2000 BuyWrite ETF | 11.9% | 19.46% | 61 | Monthly | $55M |
| XLII | State Street® Industrial Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 11.8% | 14.95% | 79 | Monthly | $16M |
| OMAH | VistaShares Target 15 Berkshire Select Income ETF | 11.7% | 14.84% | 79 | Monthly | $1.1B |
| QUSA | VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF | 11.7% | 15.79% | 74 | Monthly | $22M |
| XLKI | State Street® Technology Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 11.6% | 14.71% | 79 | Monthly | $31M |
| SIOO | VistaShares Target 15™ S&P 100 Distribution ETF | 11.5% | 15.15% | 76 | Monthly | $24M |
| HAKY | Amplify HACK Cybersecurity Covered Call ETF | 11.5% | 15.55% | 74 | Monthly | $11M |
| CAIE | Calamos Autocallable Income ETF | 11.3% | 14.30% | 79 | Monthly | $1.4B |
| SEPQ | STF Tactical Growth & Income ETF | 11.1% | 12.34% | 90 | Monthly | $95M |
| XLVI | State Street® Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 11.1% | 13.99% | 79 | Monthly | $31M |
| LDDR | Stone Ridge 2035 Term Income ETF | 11.0% | 13.38% | 82 | Monthly | $37M |
| SOXY | YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF | 10.9% | 14.33% | 76 | Monthly | $63M |
| CEFS | Saba Closed-End Funds ETF | 10.9% | 12.35% | 88 | Monthly | $423M |
| MLPI | NEOS MLP & Energy Infrastructure High Income ETF | 10.9% | 14.30% | 76 | Monthly | $937M |
| TLTX | Global X Treasury Bond Enhanced Income ETF | 10.8% | 15.67% | 69 | Monthly | $17M |
| SPYI | NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF | 10.8% | 12.01% | 90 | Monthly | $12.5B |
| ODTE | VegaShares SPX NDX RTY Premium Income ETF | 10.7% | 14.42% | 74 | Weekly | $3M |
| GLDN | Nicholas Gold Income ETF | 10.7% | 14.40% | 74 | Weekly | $4M |
| TSYW | Roundhill Treasury Bond WeeklyPay ETF | 10.7% | 17.46% | 61 | Weekly | $3M |
| BIZD | VanEck BDC Income ETF | 10.5% | 14.55% | 72 | Quarterly | $1.4B |
| ICAP | InfraCap Equity Income Fund ETF | 10.4% | 11.61% | 90 | Monthly | $115M |
| JEPQ | JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF | 10.4% | 11.57% | 90 | Monthly | $43.2B |
| TLTP | Amplify TLT U.S. Treasury 12% Option Income ETF | 10.3% | 13.02% | 79 | Monthly | $29M |
| WEEL | Peerless Option Income Wheel ETF | 10.3% | 12.24% | 84 | Quarterly | $49M |
| TYLG | Global X Information Technology Covered Call & Growth ETF | 10.3% | 11.42% | 90 | Monthly | $15M |
| SPUC | Simplify US Equity Income ETF | 10.2% | 14.83% | 69 | Monthly | $262M |
| MLPD | Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure Covered Call ETF | 10.2% | 12.12% | 84 | Monthly | $25M |
| ACKY | VistaShares Bill Ackman Target 15 Income Fund | 10.2% | 14.95% | 68 | Monthly | $46M |
| ACEI | Innovator Equity Autocallable Income Strategy ETF | 9.9% | 12.98% | 76 | Monthly | $54M |
| BIGY | YieldMax Target 12 Big 50 Option Income ETF | 9.8% | 12.42% | 79 | Monthly | $33M |
| XLBI | State Street® Materials Select Sector SPDR® Premium Income ETF | 9.8% | 15.55% | 63 | Monthly | $8M |
Screened and ranked from our own data. Not investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is Safety-Adjusted Yield?
It's a fund's distribution rate multiplied by its Distribution Safety Score (out of 100). A durable 8% yield (score 90) scores 7.2%; a shaky 20% yield (score 30) scores just 6.0%. It rewards income that looks likely to last. 60 ETFs make this list.
Why not just rank by yield?
Because the highest yields are often the least durable — the market prices in the risk of a cut. Safety-Adjusted Yield discounts fragile payouts, so the ranking surfaces the best income you can realistically keep, not just the biggest headline number.
Why the 60+ Distribution Safety Score floor?
Without a floor, the metric still tilts toward extreme high-yielders. Requiring a solid Distribution Safety Score keeps this list focused on durable income; the riskiest high-yielders live on our Potential Yield Traps page instead.
Is this the same as the DV Scorecard's "best pick"?
Yes — the Scorecard's "Best Safety-Adjusted Yield" tile uses the identical formula. This page simply ranks the whole qualifying universe by it.
How often is it updated?
Yields and Distribution Safety Score readings refresh on every build, so the Safety-Adjusted Yield ranking re-computes automatically.
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