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CTA vs ISMF

Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF

CTABNYSE Arca

Ishares Managed Futures Active ETF

ISMFBCboe

Overlap

Expense ratio

ISMF −0.06pt a year

CTA0.86%ISMF0.80%

Avg volume · 30D

CTA 24.1×the volume

CTA565KISMF23.4K

CTA vs ISMF Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

+16.1%CTA+12.1%ISMF

Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. CTA +16.1%. ISMF +12.1%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.0%5%20%Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
CTA 0.86%
ISMF 0.80%, better
Fund size
CTA $1.36B
ISMF $37M
1Y total return
CTA +16.1%, better
ISMF +12.1%
Yield (12M)
CTA 5.18%
ISMF No data
Holdings
CTA 25
ISMF 17
Avg volume (30D)
CTA 565K sh, better
ISMF 23.4K sh
NAV per share
CTA $30.12
ISMF $28.29
52W range

ETF.net Grade

CTA: Cost 43, Risk 22, Mission not scored, Tradability 61, Holdings 45, Durability 83. ISMF: Cost 63, Risk 81, Mission not scored, Tradability 64, Holdings not scored, Durability 46.
Pillar letters and Scores for CTA, ISMF, with each pillar’s weight
PillarCTAISMF
Cost30% weightC43B63Higher
Mission25% weightNot scoredNot scored
Risk15% weightF22A81Higher
Tradability15% weightB61B64Higher
Holdings10% weightC45Not scored
Durability5% weightA83HigherC46

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 ISMF 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 ›

ISMF ranks 3rd 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 3BISMFIshares Managed Futures Active ETFScore 66
  4. Rank 4BFFUTFidelity Managed Futures ETFScore 63
  5. Rank 7CFMFFirst Trust Managed Futures Strategy FundScore 46
  6. Rank 8BCTASimplify Managed Futures Strategy ETFScore 45
  7. Rank 8CKMLMKraneShares Mount Lucas Managed Futures Index Strategy ETFScore 45

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

CTABSimplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF

ISMFBIshares Managed Futures Active 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.

ISMF 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.

ISMF 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.

ISMF 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.

ISMF No data

Full CTA profile⁠

Full ISMF profile⁠

CTA vs ISMF 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 ISMF Cost

Overpaying CTA vs ISMF

$1,022

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

  • CTA 0.86%

    $16,368

  • ISMF 0.80%

    $15,346

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • CTA 0.86%
  • ISMF 0.80%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$5K$10K$15K$20K051015202530CTA $16,368ISMF $15,346

Year by year

YearCTAISMFOverpaying
10$1,525$1,422$103
20$5,768$5,393$375
30$16,368$15,346$1,022

Expense ratio

  • 0.86%CTA
  • 0.80%ISMF, cheaper
  • Middle half of Managed Futures funds
  • Median 0.85%

ISMF 5th cheapest of 14 funds

CTA 8th cheapest of 14 funds

CTA vs ISMF Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
CTA 5.18%
ISMF No data
Payout (12M)
CTA $1.55
ISMF No data
Last payment
CTA $0.13
ISMF $1.64
Ex-dividend
CTA Oct 27, 2026
ISMF Dec 16, 2025
Paid on
CTA Oct 30, 2026
ISMF Dec 19, 2025
Frequency
CTA Monthly
ISMF 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
ISMFIrregular · 1 paymentAll ISMF payments⁠
One bar per payment. 1 payment from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Dec 16, 2025 $1.64. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$120232026YTD

CTA vs ISMF 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%ISMF 6.6%since Apr 2025
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
CTA 0.49ISMF 1.10since Apr 2025
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
CTA −20.8%since Mar 2022ISMF −4.2%since Mar 2025
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
CTA −0.19ISMF 0.23

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