5 Best VIX ETFs to Buy for Q1 2025

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are becoming an increasingly popular way to invest in conventional stock indices, as well as a volatility index such as the VIX. This page will help you learn the best strategies for investing in it.

What are the top VIX ETFs to buy?

While the VIX isn’t as commonly traded as a benchmark stock index like the S&P 500, there are still multiple options to choose from. We profile the best VIX ETFs ones in the table below. Some of the most prominent around today include:

1. ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY)

• Assets: $146 million
• Expense ratio: 0.95%
• Year of inception: 2011
• 5-year performance: -97%
• Dividend yield: N/A

The ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) exposes investors to near-term market volatility by tracking the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index. This benchmark includes a portfolio of monthly VIX futures contracts reflecting the expected 30-day volatility of the S&P 500. 

As a VIX ETF, VIXY allows traders to speculate on or hedge against upcoming volatility. It offers useful volatility exposure for sophisticated investors seeking a quick hedge. With VIXY, traders gain access to the key fear gauge – the Cboe Volatility Index.

There are two main cons with the VIXY ETF. First, its performance has not been good as it collapsed by over 97% in the past five years. Second, the find is expensive with its expense ratio of 0.95%.

2. ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF (VIXM)

• Assets: $105 million
• Expense ratio: 0.94%
• Year of inception: 2011
• 5-year performance: -34%
• Dividend yield: N/A

The ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF (VIXM) tracks the S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures Index, composed of VIX futures contracts reflecting volatility 3-6 months out. VIXM provides targeted exposure to mid-term volatility while limiting short-term noise.

Its holdings roll continuously to maintain a constant maturity window. VIXM allows sophisticated traders to benefit from potential increases in the Cboe Volatility Index over medium horizons, distinguishing it from short-term focused sentiment.

3. Fidelity Low Volatility Factor ETF (FDLO)

• Assets: $1.1 billion
• Expense ratio: 0.15%
• Year of inception: 2016
• 5-year performance: 60%
• Dividend yield: 1.34%

The Fidelity Low Volatility Factor ETF (FDLO) aims to mimic Fidelity’s Low Volatility Factor index, comprising US large and mid-cap stocks with lower historical volatility. As an actively managed fund, FDLO seeks smoother returns by limiting exposure to the most volatile sectors and stocks. 

This volatility ETF provides an option for investors wanting to manage market volatility in their portfolio while maintaining US equity exposure. FDLO is suited to investors who know what they’re doing and offers a strategy focused on curbing risk and swings associated with broad equity benchmarks.

Unlike the other two funds, this one does not track the VIX index. Instead, it tracks several a group of companies that have low volatility than the broad market. To do this, it tracks the Fidelity U.S. Low Volatility Factor Index.

Most of these companies are the likes of Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, and Amazon. The main risk for this fund is that it is highly skewed towards the technology sector, which makes about 30% of its total holdings.

4. Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL)

• Assets: $1 billion
• Expense ratio: 1.16%
• Year of inception: 2021
• 5-year performance: N/A
• Dividend yield: 16%

The Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL) aims to profit from the difference between current and expected future VIX futures prices. This volatility ETF sells first and second month VIX futures contracts and collaterals the exposure with T-bills. 

The strategy seeks to use a volatility risk premium over time by monetising the gap between spot and forward volatility indexes. SVOL provides concentrated exposure to this volatility arbitrage strategy as an actively managed fund. With an expense ratio of 1.16%, this is one of the most expensive funds in Wall Street.

5. ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (SVXY)

• Assets: $300 million
• Expense ratio: 0.95%
• Year of inception: 2011
• 5-year performance: 129%
• Dividend yield: N/A

The ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (SVXY) provides inverse exposure to near-term market volatility by tracking the inverse performance of the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index. 

As a short VIX ETF, SVXY aims to appreciate when volatility declines. It provides sophisticated traders with an instrument to hedge or profit from falling expectations in near-term volatility, as represented by the Cboe Volatility Index. SVXY can be useful as part of a volatility trading strategy for investors with a bearish short-term outlook on volatility.

Where to buy the best VIX ETFs

Multiple different online brokers offer ETFs, so you’ll need to pick one that works best for your specific investing needs. You can find a broker quickly and easily by simply selecting one from the table below:

4.6

eToro

Min. Deposit $100

Fees 1%

No. assets 3600+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

eToro review

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

4.5

Plus500

Min. Deposit $100

Fees From 2%

No. assets 2800+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

Plus500 review

CFD service. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorised by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

4.4

Public

Min. Deposit $20

Fees 1-2%

No. assets 9000+

Demo account No

Visit site

Public.com review

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

What is a VIX ETF?

A VIX ETF is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the movement of the VIX, going up or down based on levels of market volatility. The VIX itself is the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s CBOE Volatility Index, and is sometimes referred to as the ‘fear index’. It is a popular measure of the stock market’s expectation of volatility and works by tracking the performance of the S&P 500 index. 

The ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) and ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF (VIXM) are two of the most popular ones that can be traded today.

How do I trade VIX index ETFs?

We already covered how buying an ETF can require more study than buying, say, an S&P 500 ETF. If you’re fine with the more complex nature of the VIX, here are three factors to review before making your ETF purchase:

1. How to choose an ETF
2. How to choose a broker 
3. Use our top tips to succeed

1. How to choose an ETF

Here’s a look at some more factors to consider when deciding on a VIX ETF to buy:

• Total value of assets. The higher the total value of assets in an ETF, the better its liquidity will be, and the tighter its price spreads will be. These are both positives for investors. Lower liquidity means you’ll be taking on more risk and possibly more costs.
• Charges and fees. ETFs charge significantly lower fees than index funds, making them a better bang for your buck. ETFs are also easier to trade than index funds, since you can trade them in real time, as you would a stock. However, there will still be fees applicable, so ensure these are of a reasonable level before you start.
• Daily trading volume. The higher the daily volume, the better. Higher volume levels tend to produce more stability and less frequent wild price swings. 
• Performance over time. Look for an ETF with a strong track record, as that’s a good indicator of how well it will likely perform in the future.
• Liquidity. The more liquidity, the more interest it will attract, and the more stable its price action is likely to be.
• Location and tax status. An ETF’s tax status can sometimes change based on the country in which it’s based. If you’re deciding between two with similar track records and one of them is based in a lower-tax country, that could be your better bet.
• Leverage. Trading with leverage means you’re putting down a small percentage of the total trade, with your broker covering the rest. Trading with leverage means bigger gains than non-leveraged trades when you guess right but also bigger losses than non-leveraged trades when you’re wrong. That makes it a strategy that’s generally best suited for more experienced investors.

2. How to choose a broker

If you want to trade ETFs, then you’ll need to find a broker that can facilitate these trades. There are a wide variety of different online trading platforms from which you can choose, so we’ve compiled this list of what you want to look out for when selecting the right broker for you. 

• What services they offer. The first step you need to check is that the broker you have selected offers ETF trading, and whether – if so – you’ll be able to use the platform to buy and trade VIX ETFs. Beyond this you might want to check other trading options the broker offers, such as how much leverage you can trade with.
• Whether the platform offers a demo account. If you’re new to ETF trading, then it’s wise to start off with a demo account. These are offered by many brokers and allow you to place trades without risking any of your capital. You won’t make any money with a demo account, but using one to learn the ropes can prevent losses later on.
• The fees charged. Trading ETFs often incurs fees, and these will vary from broker to broker. Sometimes there’ll be a flat rate for making trades, and sometimes brokers will charge commission. Check out the fees charged by a broker before signing up to their service.
• Financial limits. Brokers will often apply a variety of limits to users’ trading activities. This can include deposit/withdrawal minimums and maximums or daily ETF trading limits. Make sure you pick a provider that can cater to the level of trading you’re looking to be doing.
• Security features and regulation. When investing your money with a platform, you want to ensure that it is reputable, complies with relevant legislation, and has good online security features. You can find reliable brokers by looking through our reviews, or simply follow the links to brokers that are listed on this page.

3. Use our top tips before investing

Before investing, make sure you have a sound investing plan. Follow these steps to build that plan:

• Do your research. Study the top ETFs, which we reviewed earlier. Compare each one to your own specific investing goals before deciding which one to choose.
• Set a budget. Setting a budget ensures that you have plenty of money left over for future trades, even if your first attempt at buying one goes wrong. Most importantly, you should never invest more than you can afford to lose.
• Select the right platform. Choose an online broker based on the size of its transaction fees, ease of use, track record, and strength of reputation. We have comprehensively reviewed all your best options to help you make the best decision.
• Grow your investments over time. As a beginner investor, consider starting small. You can always raise the size of your investments as you get better with time.
• Think long-term. The best VIX ETFs are much more conducive to short-term trading than a typical stock index like the S&P 500, because it’s more volatile. So when we say think long-term, in this case we’re advising that you consider making the VIX part of a larger portfolio, while looking for different investment assets to trade for potential longer-term gains.

Are VIX ETFs a good investment?

ETFs are a more complex investment than a typical stock market index, because you’re betting on expected market volatility rather than simply trying to invest in an index you feel will rise in value. That said, if you invested in the VIX in, say, mid-February 2020 and sold a month later, you would have made a very large profit, due to fears over the economic impact of COVID-19 causing market chaos.

There’s still plenty of risk involved in buying into an ETF, though. For instance, if you thought that massive job losses caused by COVID-19 would trigger one continuous spike in market volatility, you would have been proven wrong, as the VIX has pulled back sharply since its March 2020 peak.

Methodology: How we choose the best VIX ETFs

At Invezz, we are dedicated to helping investors make informed decisions by providing authoritative, accessible, and engaging advice and recommendations. Our curated section of the best Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) is carefully selected by our team of experienced market analysts and reviewed by a sub-editor. This methodology outlines the rigorous process we follow to ensure our ETF recommendations are up-to-date, reliable, and insightful.

• Analyst research & recommendations: Our seasoned market analysts use their in-depth sector knowledge to identify ETFs with strong potential, ensuring they meet high standards of performance, liquidity, and market potential.
• ETF evaluation: We evaluate ETFs based on their underlying assets, historical performance, expense ratios, and tracking accuracy, alongside macroeconomic factors and sector trends.
• Fund performance reports: We assess ETFs through the latest performance reports, analyzing key metrics like returns, volatility, expense ratios, and assets under management (AUM).
• Sector analysis and external recommendations: Our detailed sector analysis, combined with recommendations from reputable sources like Barron’s and Zacks, provides an additional layer of validation for our selections.
• Quarterly review & refresh: We update our curated ETF list quarterly, re-evaluating each ETF based on the latest reports, industry developments, and market conditions to ensure our recommendations reflect the most current information available.

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