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Safe & Liquid Inverse ETFs For Shorting the Market

Inverse ETFs Enable You To Profit In Market Declines. We List & Analyze the Best Short ETFs Based on Net Assets Managed, Liquidity & Expense Ratio

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Our regularly updated inverse/short ETFs list shows you what ETFs are active and provides the ticker, market capitalization, and expense ratios.

Inverse or Short ETFs are exchange-traded funds that enable you to bet against a market, sector, or index. Typically, Short ETFs simplify shorting the market and incorporating leverage.

What Are Inverse or Short ETFs?

Inverse or Short ETFs are exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that attempt to generate returns that correspond to a specified multiple of the inverse (-1x) or short (-2x, -3x, etc.) of an index’s daily performance. These funds can provide investors with effective hedging tools and gain exposure to bear markets when stocks and other financial assets are declining.

The Best Short ETFs / Inverse ETFs List by Assets, Expenses & Volume
The Best Short ETFs / Inverse ETFs List by Assets, Expenses & Volume

How Do Short ETFs Work?

Inverse or Short ETFs typically combine derivatives, such as futures contracts and swaps, to achieve their objectives. As ETFs can be purchased on any major exchange, investors can gain exposure to these bear-market strategies without needing to open a margin account or short individual stocks.

The Best Short & Inverse ETFs

While no single “best” short or inverse ETF exists, the best ETFs should have significant assets under management, enough trading volume to ensure liquidity, and low management fees.

Our list of the best short and inverse ETFs includes the 10-day average trading volumes, the net assets under management, and the expense ratio.

5 Tips on ETFs That Short The Market?

1. Inverse ETFs Should be Traded on a Daily Basis?

All short or inverse ETFs have warnings that they should only be traded on a daily basis. Of course, you can hold them for longer than one day, but you will see mismatches in the return of the short ETF vs. the actual index over time.

Inverse ETFs Do Not Match the Index Performance Because:

  1. The underlying contracts supporting the Inverse ETFs must be rebalanced at the end of the trading day. This causes slippage.
  2. The volatility of an index will affect compounding, which affects the inverse ETF.

2. Inverse ETFs Should Have Good Liquidity & Volume

It is important that if you purchase an Inverse ETF, you can sell it when you want to, for a price that is close to your target price. There are 244 Inverse/Leveraged ETFs on the US exchanges, and the average 10-day trading volume is 1.8 million shares per day. You will want to choose ETFs that average at least 500,000 traded per day.

3. Choose ETFs With Higher Assets Under Management

The median amount of Net Assets under management for leveraged and inverse ETFs is $50 million. It is wise to utilize ETFs with more than $100 million in assets managed; this helps with liquidity and the fund’s stability.

4. ETFs Should Have Low Expenses

Any Inverse or Leveraged ETF you trade should have lower expense ratios. Of the 244 ETFs in this study, the average expense ratio is 0.96%, but the range of expenses spanned from 1.85% to 0.35%. The largest, most liquid funds have an expense ratio between 0.95% and 1.07%, which is acceptable.

5. Use a Commission Free Broker to Minimize Costs

When purchasing ETFs, you should select a broker that enables you to buy and sell ETFs with $0 zero commissions. Firstrade has over 2,200 commission-free ETFs, the largest in the industry. Read the Firstrade Review or visit Firstrade.

Inverse/Short S&P 500 ETFs List

Short S&P 500 ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage
ProShares Short S&P500 SH $2,864 0.90% 1X
ProShares UltraShort S&P500 SDS $1,091 0.91% 2X
ProShares UltraPro Short S&P500 SPXU $887 0.93% 3X
Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares SPXS $736 1.07% 3X
Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 1X Shares SPDN $167 0.50% 1X
Direxion Daily S&P 500 High Beta Bear 3X Shares HIBS $45 1.07% 3X

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📈Live Charts: Short S&P 500 ETFs

ProShares Short S&P500 (SH) Chart

ProShares UltraShort S&P500 (SDS)

ProShares UltraPro Short S&P500 (SPXU)

Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares (SPXS)

Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 1X Shares (SPDN)

Direxion Daily S&P 500 High Beta Bear 3X Shares (HIBS)

Inverse ETF Performance vs. The S&P 500

The long-term performance of inverse ETFs does not match the performance of the underlying index. This example shows a 1-year chart of the S&P 500 versus the ProShares UltraShort 2X Inverse leveraged ETF. This is the chart spanning the Corona Virus Crash.

Inverse/Short ETF Performance vs S&P 500 Index 1-Year 2020
Inverse/Short ETF Performance vs. S&P 500 Index 1-Yearย  (ProShares UltraShort – Ticker SDS) (Courtesy Stock Rover)

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Inverse/Short Nasdaq ETFs List

Inverse Nasdaq ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage
ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ SQQQ $1,520 0.95% 3X
ProShares Short QQQ PSQ $774 0.95% 1X
ProShares UltraShort QQQ QID $283 0.95% 2X
ProShares UltraShort Nasdaq Biotechnology BIS $12 0.95% 2X

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📈Live Charts: Short Nasdaq ETFs

ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ)

ProShares Short QQQ (PSQ)

ProShares UltraShort QQQ (QID)

ProShares UltraShort Nasdaq Biotechnology (BIS)

Dow Jones Short ETFs List

Dow Jones Short ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage
ProShares UltraPro Short Dow30 SDOW $516 0.95% 3X
ProShares Short Dow30 DOG $408 0.95% 1X
ProShares UltraShort Dow30 DXD $160 0.95% 2X
Direxion Daily Dow Jones Internet Bear 3X Shares WEBS $5 1.07% 3X

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📈Live Charts: Dow Jones Short ETFs

ProShares UltraPro Short Dow30 (SDOW)

ProShares Short Dow30 (DOG)

ProShares UltraShort Dow30 (DXD)

Direxion Daily Dow Jones Internet Bear 3X Shares (WEBS)

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Short Russell & Mid Cap ETFs List

Short Russell ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage
Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares TZA $526 1.07% 3X
ProShares Short Russell2000 RWM $445 0.95% 1X
ProShares UltraPro Short Russell2000 SRTY $151 0.95% 3X
ProShares UltraShort Russell2000 TWM $114 0.95% 2X
ProShares Short MidCap400 MYY $32 0.95% 1X
ProShares UltraPro Short MidCap400 SMDD $13 0.95% 3X
ProShares Short SmallCap600 SBB $12 0.95% 1X
ProShares UltraShort SmallCap600 SDD $7 0.95% 2X
Direxion Daily Mid Cap Bear 3X Shares MIDZ $6 1.08% 3X
ProShares UltraShort MidCap400 MZZ $4 0.95% 2X

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📈Live Charts: Short Russell & Mid Cap ETFs

Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares (TZA)

ProShares Short Russell2000 (RWM)

ProShares UltraPro Short Russell2000 (SRTY)

ProShares UltraShort Russell2000 (TWM)

ProShares Short MidCap400 (MYY)

ProShares UltraPro Short MidCap400 (SMDD)

ProShares Short SmallCap600 (SBB)

Short Oil ETFs List

Short Oil ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage 10-Day Volume (Avg)
ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil SCO $80 0.95% 2X 2,838,394
Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. & Prod. Bear 2X Shares DRIP $49 1.07% 2X 366,216
MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index Inverse ETNs YGRN $31 0.95% 1X 267
ProShares UltraShort Oil & Gas DUG $21 0.95% 2X 63,022

📈Live Charts: Short Oil ETFs

ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil (SCO)

Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. & Prod. Bear 2X Shares (DRIP)

ProShares UltraShort Oil & Gas (DUG)

Short Gold ETFs List

Short Gold ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage
Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares DUST $131 1.07% 2X
Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares JDST $94 1.10% 2X
ProShares UltraShort Gold GLL $27 1.32% 2X
DB Gold Double Short ETN DZZ $6 0.75% 2X
DB Gold Short ETN DGZ $3 0.75% 2X

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📈Live Charts: Short Gold ETFs

Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares (DUST)

Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares (JDST)

ProShares UltraShort Gold (GLL)

Short/Inverse International ETFs List

Short International ETFs Ticker Net Assets ($M) Expense Ratio Leverage
ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets EUM $62 0.95% 1X
Direxion Daily MSCI Real Estate Bear 3X Shares DRV $40 1.08% 3X
Direxion Daily MSCI Emerging Markets Bear 3X Shares EDZ $35 1.08% 3X
ProShares UltraShort MSCI Brazil Capped BZQ $29 0.95% 2X
ProShares Short MSCI EAFE EFZ $28 0.95% 1X
ProShares UltraShort MSCI Emerging Markets EEV $12 0.95% 2X

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List of All Short/Inverse ETFs By Expense Ratio & Capitalization

Ticker Company Expense Ratio Market Cap ($M USD)
SPDN Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 1X Shares 0.56% $372
TAIL Cambria Tail Risk ETF 0.59% $186
EMTY ProShares Decline of the Retail Store ETF 0.65% $10
FAIL Cambria Global Tail Risk ETF 0.71% $4
SARK AXS Short Innovation Daily ETF 0.75% $242
DZZ DB Gold Double Short ETN 0.75% $5
DGZ DB Gold Short ETN 0.75% $3
CYA Simplify Tail Risk Strategy ETF 0.84% $17
SH ProShares Short S&P500 0.89% $1,857
SPXU ProShares UltraPro Short S&P500 0.90% $1,110
SDS ProShares UltraShort S&P500 0.90% $942
SQQQ ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ 0.95% $4,743
PSQ ProShares Short QQQ 0.95% $990
QID ProShares UltraShort QQQ 0.95% $508
RWM ProShares Short Russell2000 0.95% $363
DOG ProShares Short Dow30 0.95% $216
FNGD MicroSectors FANG+ Index -3X Inverse Leveraged ETN 0.95% $188
NRGD MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs 0.95% $166
SRTY ProShares UltraPro Short Russell2000 0.95% $158
SCO ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil 0.95% $112
TWM ProShares UltraShort Russell2000 0.95% $104
DXD ProShares UltraShort Dow30 0.95% $83
EPV ProShares UltraShort FTSE Europe 0.95% $60
GDXD MicroSectors Gold Miners -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs 0.95% $60
SRS ProShares UltraShort Real Estate 0.95% $57
EFZ ProShares Short MSCI EAFE 0.95% $55
REK ProShares Short Real Estate 0.95% $49
SEF ProShares Short Financials 0.95% $39
EUM ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets 0.95% $32
OILD MicroSectorsTM Oil & Gas Exploration & Production -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs 0.95% $26
SBB ProShares Short SmallCap600 0.95% $25
FXP ProShares UltraShort FTSE China 50 0.95% $21
SKF ProShares UltraShort Financials 0.95% $21
BERZ MicroSectors Solactive FANG & Innovation -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs 0.95% $18
DUG ProShares UltraShort Energy 0.95% $18
BNKD MicroSectors U.S. Big Banks Index -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs 0.95% $12
MYY ProShares Short MidCap400 0.95% $12
BZQ ProShares UltraShort MSCI Brazil Capped 0.95% $10
EEV ProShares UltraShort MSCI Emerging Markets 0.95% $8
SSG ProShares UltraShort Semiconductors 0.95% $7
YXI ProShares Short FTSE China 50 0.95% $7
SMDD ProShares UltraPro Short MidCap400 0.95% $6
BIS ProShares UltraShort Nasdaq Biotechnology 0.95% $5
EWV ProShares UltraShort MSCI Japan 0.95% $5
WTID MicroSectors Energy -3X Inverse Leveraged ETN 0.95% $5
REW ProShares UltraShort Technology 0.95% $4
DULL MicroSectors Gold -3X Inverse Leveraged ETN 0.95% $3
EFU ProShares UltraShort MSCI EAFE 0.95% $3
JETD MAX Airlines -3X Inverse Leveraged ETN 0.95% $3
SDD ProShares UltraShort SmallCap600 0.95% $3
SIJ ProShares UltraShort Industrials 0.95% $3
MZZ ProShares UltraShort MidCap400 0.95% $2
SCC ProShares UltraShort Consumer Discretionary 0.95% $2
SKYU ProShares Ultra Cloud Computing 0.95% $2
SMN ProShares UltraShort Materials 0.95% $2
SDOW ProShares UltraPro Short Dow30 0.96% $479
SOXS Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares 1.02% $1,111
JDST Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares 1.02% $132
TZA Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares 1.03% $409
GGLS Direxion Daily GOOGL Bear 1X Shares 1.06% $4
DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares 1.07% $152
HIBS Direxion Daily S&P 500 High Beta Bear 3X Shares 1.07% $47
TSLS Direxion Daily TSLA Bear 1X Shares 1.07% $46
AAPD Direxion Daily AAPL Bear 1X Shares 1.07% $27
EDZ Direxion Daily MSCI Emerging Markets Bear 3X Shares 1.07% $24
MSFD Direxion Daily MSFT Bear 1X Shares 1.07% $9
AMZD Direxion Daily AMZN Bear 1X Shares 1.07% $5
SPXS Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3X Shares 1.08% $933
DRV Direxion Daily Real Estate Bear 3X Shares 1.08% $138
YANG Direxion Daily FTSE China Bear 3X Shares 1.08% $132
TECS Direxion Daily Technology Bear 3X Shares 1.08% $120
WEBS Direxion Daily Dow Jones Internet Bear 3X Shares 1.08% $34
ERY Direxion Daily Energy Bear 2X Shares 1.08% $27
FAZ Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares 1.09% $149
LABD Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3X Shares 1.09% $105
DRIP Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. & Prod. Bear 2X Shares 1.09% $61
TSLQ AXS TSLA Bear Daily ETF 1.15% $112
NVDS AXS 1.25X NVDA Bear Daily ETF 1.15% $98
GLL ProShares UltraShort Gold 1.28% $17
ZSL ProShares UltraShort Silver 1.35% $21
DGLDF VelocityShares 3x Inverse Gold ETN Linked to the S&P GSCI Gold Index ER 1.35% $4
KOLD ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas 1.37% $141
SVIX -1x Short VIX Futures ETF 1.47% $71
DWSH AdvisorShares Dorsey Wright Short ETF 2.77% $24
HDGE AdvisorShares Ranger Equity Bear ETF 4.29% $123

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Barry D. Moore CFTe
Barry D. Moore CFTe
With a wealth of experience spanning 25 years in stock investing and trading, Barry D. Moore (CFTe) is an author and Certified Financial Technician (Market Analyst) recognized by the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA). Notably, he has also held executive positions in leading Silicon Valley corporations IBM Corp. and Hewlett Packard Inc.