Defiance vs YieldMax
A data-driven look at two weekly dividend ETF issuers. Defiance lists 7 weekly-paying ETFs averaging 30.3% distribution yield with $500.0M in combined assets, while YieldMax lists 56 averaging 52.3% with $9.28B. All figures are recalculated daily from the latest distributions and split-adjusted prices.
Key differences
- Yield: YieldMax pays the higher average distribution yield (52.3% vs 30.3%). Higher headline yield often comes with faster NAV erosion, so read it alongside price performance.
- Scale: YieldMax manages more assets across its weekly lineup, which usually means tighter spreads and deeper options liquidity.
- Cost: YieldMax is cheaper on average (1.08% vs 1.17%).
- Breadth: YieldMax covers more underlyings, giving you more ways to build a diversified weekly income sleeve.
Head-to-head same-underlying pairs
Structure, NAV protection and consistency
Defiance runs 7 weekly-paying funds with $500.0M in total assets; YieldMax runs 56 with $9.28B. The structural difference matters more than the fund count: a premium-pass-through lineup distributes what the option book actually earned that week, while a target-rate lineup such as Roundhill's WeeklyPay framework aims at a fixed weekly rate and adjusts leverage to hit it. The first gives you lumpy payouts with a cleaner NAV; the second gives you a smooth payout with more of the variability pushed into the share price.
On NAV protection, the average year-to-date price return is -16.1% across Defiance's funds and -24.0% across YieldMax's, so Defiance has held its capital better on average this year. Because distributions are paid out of the same pool that supports the share price, that number is the single most useful check on whether a high headline yield is actually income or a partial return of your own money.
Who each suits: if you want the widest choice of underlyings and the deepest liquidity, the larger lineup is the practical default. If you are building a budget around a predictable weekly cheque, the target-rate structure is easier to plan against. Most investors are better served picking the specific fund on the underlying they want than committing to an issuer — start from the head-to-head pairs above, or the full rankings table. Nothing here is investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does Defiance or YieldMax pay a higher yield?
YieldMax has the higher average distribution yield across its weekly lineup (52.3% vs 30.3%). Distribution yield is annualised from the most recent payout and is not guaranteed.
How many weekly dividend ETFs does each issuer run?
Defiance lists 7 and YieldMax lists 56 weekly-paying ETFs tracked by WeeklyYield.
Which issuer should I choose?
Compare at the fund level rather than the brand level — two ETFs on the same underlying can behave very differently. Use the head-to-head pairs above, and read our scoring methodology. This is information, not investment advice.