A side-by-side comparison of iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) to help Canadian investors make an informed decision.
1-Year Performance
Normalised to 100 at the start — shows relative return over the trailing 12 months.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | SOXX | QTUM |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | -3.84%✓ | -5.51% |
| 1-Day Change | +1.35%✓ | +1.08% |
| 1-Week Change | +1.81%✓ | +0.51% |
| 1-Month Change | +15.27%✓ | +6.01% |
| Current Price | $576.33 | $153.25 |
| AUM | $48.90B✓ | $5.70B |
| MER (Expense Ratio) | 0.35%✓ | 0.4% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.29% | 0.79%✓ |
| Distribution Frequency | NA | — |
| Inception Date | 2001-07-10 | 2018-09-04 |
| Holdings Count | 30 | 50 |
| MorningStar Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Category | Technology | Technology |
| Beta | 2.33 | 1.72 |
| 52-Week High | $655.52 | $169.21 |
| 52-Week Low | $259.61 | $97.17 |
| 50-Day MA | $528.27 | $148.37 |
| 200-Day MA | $451.04 | $134.29 |
✓ marks the better value for return/yield/AUM metrics. Lower ✓ for MER.
Annualised Returns
| Period | SOXX | QTUM |
|---|---|---|
| YTD | -3.84%✓ | -5.51% |
| 1 Year | +114.18%✓ | +48.08% |
| 3 Year | +55.17%✓ | +48.93% |
| 5 Year | +30.43%✓ | +25.17% |
| 10 Year | +33.02% | — |
| 1Y Volatility | 54.23% | 38.77% |
| Sharpe Ratio (3Y) | 1.05 | 1.28 |
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Top 10 Holdings
| 1 | INTC | Intel Corporation | 9.26% |
| 2 | AMD | Advanced Micro Devices Inc | 9.23% |
| 3 | MU | Micron Technology Inc | 7.94% |
| 4 | NVDA | NVIDIA Corporation | 7.36% |
| 5 | AVGO | Broadcom Inc | 6.86% |
| 6 | MRVL | Marvell Technology Group Ltd | 4.45% |
| 7 | KLAC | KLA Corporation | 4.00% |
| 8 | AMAT | Applied Materials Inc | 3.99% |
| 9 | ADI | Analog Devices Inc | 3.93% |
| 10 | QCOM | Qualcomm Incorporated | 3.86% |
| 1 | 3443 | Global Unichip Corp | 2.44% |
| 2 | ARQQ | Arqit Quantum Inc. | 2.17% |
| 3 | NET | Cloudflare Inc | 1.86% |
| 4 | ESTC | Elastic NV | 1.67% |
| 5 | PLTR | Palantir Technologies Inc. | 1.66% |
| 6 | HQ | Horizon Quantum Holdings Ltd. Class A Ordinary Shares | 1.65% |
| 7 | NTNX | Nutanix Inc | 1.60% |
| 8 | HPE | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co | 1.59% |
| 9 | SNOW | Snowflake Inc. | 1.58% |
| 10 | AMD | Advanced Micro Devices Inc | 1.55% |
Sector Weights
| Sector | SOXX | QTUM |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Materials | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Communication Services | 0.00% | 6.53% |
| Consumer Cyclicals | 0.00% | 2.31% |
| Consumer Defensive | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Energy | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Financial Services | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Healthcare | 0.00% | 1.41% |
| Industrials | 0.00% | 9.29% |
| Real Estate | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Technology | 100.00% | 80.46% |
| Utilities | 0.00% | 0.00% |
About SOXX
The fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its index and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents. The fund is non-diversified.
About QTUM
The fund uses a "passive management" (or indexing) approach to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the index. The index consists of a modified equal-weighted portfolio of the stock of companies whose business activities, products, and/or services relate to the development of quantum computing and machine learning technology.
Which ETF is Right for You?
Both SOXX and QTUM are listed on Canadian exchanges and accessible through most Canadian brokerages including Questrade, Wealthsimple Trade, TD Direct, and Interactive Brokers.
Based on the available data, SOXX scores higher across our tracked metrics including YTD performance, dividend yield, and AUM — though both ETFs warrant individual research before investing.
- Consider your account type (TFSA, RRSP, non-registered) as it can affect dividend taxation.
- Compare management expense ratios (MER) directly on each provider's website.
- Look at average daily trading volume to assess liquidity.
- Review the fund's underlying index and holdings to ensure the exposure matches your goals.
This is not financial advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between SOXX and QTUM?
SOXX (iShares Semiconductor ETF) and QTUM (Defiance Quantum ETF) are both Canadian-listed ETFs. Key differences include their AUM ($48.90B vs $5.70B), dividend yield (0.29% vs 0.79%), and year-to-date performance (-3.84% vs -5.51%).
Is SOXX better than QTUM?
There is no single "better" ETF — it depends on your investment goals. If you prioritise recent performance, SOXX has outperformed year-to-date. Always review the fund's prospectus and consider your tax situation.
Can I buy SOXX and QTUM on Wealthsimple?
Most Canadian-listed ETFs are available on Wealthsimple Trade commission-free. Both SOXX and QTUM should be accessible. Check Wealthsimple's supported tickers list to confirm availability.
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