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CTA vs IMF

Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF

CTABNYSE Arca

Invesco Managed Futures Strategy ETF

IMFACboe

Overlap

Expense ratio

IMF −0.21pt a year

CTA0.86%IMF0.65%

Avg volume · 30D

CTA 65.0×the volume

CTA565KIMF8.68K

CTA vs IMF Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

+16.1%CTA+20.8%IMF

Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. CTA +16.1%. IMF +20.8%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.0%5%10%25%Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
CTA 0.86%
IMF 0.65%, better
Fund size
CTA $1.36B
IMF $306M
1Y total return
CTA +16.1%
IMF +20.8%, better
Yield (12M)
CTA 5.18%
IMF No data
Holdings
CTA 25
IMF 17
Avg volume (30D)
CTA 565K sh, better
IMF 8.68K sh
NAV per share
CTA $30.12
IMF $52.84
52W range

ETF.net Grade

CTA: Cost 43, Risk 22, Mission not scored, Tradability 61, Holdings 45, Durability 83. IMF: Cost 90, Risk 82, Mission not scored, Tradability 65, Holdings not scored, Durability 68.
Pillar letters and Scores for CTA, IMF, with each pillar’s weight
PillarCTAIMF
Cost30% weightC43A90Higher
Mission25% weightNot scoredNot scored
Risk15% weightF22A82Higher
Tradability15% weightB61B65Higher
Holdings10% weightC45Not scored
Durability5% weightA83HigherB68

Rank among Managed Futures funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. CTA and IMF are both graded against the same 14 Managed Futures funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Managed Futures⁠

Category · 14 funds
See all 14 ›

IMF ranks 1st and CTA 8th of 14 funds in the Managed Futures Category.

  1. Rank 1AIMFInvesco Managed Futures Strategy ETFScore 80
  2. Rank 2AWTMFWisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy FundScore 75
  3. Rank 7CFMFFirst Trust Managed Futures Strategy FundScore 46
  4. Rank 8BCTASimplify Managed Futures Strategy ETFScore 45
  5. Rank 8CKMLMKraneShares Mount Lucas Managed Futures Index Strategy ETFScore 45

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

CTABSimplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF

IMFAInvesco Managed Futures Strategy ETF

In short

CTA Simplify didn't build its own trend models, it rented them. CTA runs systematic long/short futures programs from Altis Partners, a commodity trading advisor with 20-plus years in the chair, at the lowest fee in its peer group.

IMF No data

Stated mandate

CTA The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by systematically investing in futures to create an absolute return profile and capture price trends.

IMF No data

Why people hold it

  • CTA Charges 0.75% a year, undercutting every other fund in its managed-futures peer group, including DBMF at 0.85% and ASMF at 0.80%.simplify.us
  • The engine is outsourced to Altis Partners, a commodity trading advisor with over 20 years of experience, running a suite of systematic models rather than a single signal.simplify.us
  • Goes long or short across 50-plus markets: equity, Treasury, commodity and currency futures. The mandate targets absolute return with low correlation to stocks.simplify.usyahoo.com
  • Pays monthly and trades actively, unusual plumbing for an alternatives sleeve.

IMF No data

Worth knowing

  • CTA Trend systems need sustained moves to work with. Choppy, fast-reversing markets are where they struggle, so the ride is bumpier and less predictable than a plain index fund.
  • Actively managed with no benchmark index to check it against, and commodity exposure runs through a wholly owned Cayman subsidiary that can hold up to 25% of assets.yahoo.comsimplify.us
  • Launched in 2022, so the live record is short and spans only a handful of market regimes.

IMF No data

Full CTA profile⁠

Full IMF profile⁠

CTA vs IMF Holdings

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

CTA vs IMF Cost

Overpaying CTA vs IMF

$3,651

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • CTA 0.86%

    $16,368

  • IMF 0.65%

    $12,717

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • CTA 0.86%
  • IMF 0.65%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$5K$10K$15K$20K051015202530CTA $16,368IMF $12,717

Year by year

YearCTAIMFOverpaying
10$1,525$1,163$362
20$5,768$4,440$1,328
30$16,368$12,717$3,651

Expense ratio

  • 0.86%CTA
  • 0.65%IMF, cheaper
  • Middle half of Managed Futures funds
  • Median 0.85%

IMF 2nd cheapest of 14 funds

CTA 8th cheapest of 14 funds

CTA vs IMF Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
CTA 5.18%
IMF No data
Payout (12M)
CTA $1.55
IMF No data
Last payment
CTA $0.13
IMF $0.46
Ex-dividend
CTA Oct 27, 2026
IMF Dec 22, 2025
Paid on
CTA Oct 30, 2026
IMF Dec 26, 2025
Frequency
CTA Monthly
IMF Irregular

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

CTAMonthly · 24 paymentsAll CTA payments⁠
One bar per payment. 24 payments from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Jun 27, 2023 $0.10; Sep 27, 2023 $0.10; Dec 26, 2023 $1.64; Mar 25, 2024 $0.15; Jun 25, 2024 $0.15; Sep 25, 2024 $0.30; Dec 23, 2024 $0.74; Mar 26, 2025 $0.12; Jun 25, 2025 $0.25; Aug 26, 2025 $0.10; Sep 25, 2025 $0.10; Oct 28, 2025 $0.10; Nov 21, 2025 $0.10; Dec 23, 2025 $0.10; Jan 27, 2026 $0.10; Feb 24, 2026 $0.15; Mar 26, 2026 $0.15; Apr 27, 2026 $0.15; May 26, 2026 $0.15; Jun 25, 2026 $0.13; Jul 28, 2026 $0.13; Aug 26, 2026 $0.13; Sep 25, 2026 $0.13; Oct 27, 2026 $0.13. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$120232026YTD
IMFIrregular · 1 paymentAll IMF payments⁠
One bar per payment. 1 payment from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Dec 22, 2025 $0.46. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$120232026YTD

CTA vs IMF Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
CTA 14.9%IMF 11.8%since Apr 2025
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
CTA 0.49IMF 0.16since Apr 2025
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
CTA −20.8%since Mar 2022IMF −15.1%since Mar 2025
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
CTA −0.19IMF 0.09

CTA and IMF in the news

All news⁠

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