TZA vs SPY: which was the better investment?
Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Nov 19, 2008 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did TZA beat SPY?
No — measured from Nov 19, 2008 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, SPY came out ahead: $127,966 versus $0 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 15.5% annual return against -43.5%.
What would $10,000 in TZA be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares (TZA) on Nov 19, 2008 would be worth about $0 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of -100.0% (-43.5% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $127,966.
Which was riskier — TZA or SPY?
TZA swung with an annualized volatility of 222.6% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -100.0%; SPY ran at 18.3% volatility with a -33.7% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is -0.20 for TZA vs 0.74 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Nov 19, 2008 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with TZA vs SPY. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.