IWMI vs IWMY: Income Fund Comparison
NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF - US (IWMI) and Defiance R2000 Weekly Distribution ETF - US (IWMY) are both income-focused funds. Below is our independent side-by-side review using the Dependable Income Investing 13-factor scoring system — designed specifically for income investors seeking reliable, sustainable distributions.
Also see: IWMI individual review · IWMY individual review
IWMI: Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses are 0.78% (management fee 0.68% contractually capped through September 2026 plus acquired fund fees and expenses of 0.10% from holding VTWO) as of March 2026. IWMY: Expense ratio is 1.05% which is high. Increased from 1.02% in the previous review. IWMI fund inception June 24 2024. Approximately 1.7 years old as of review date - less than 2 years. IWMY fund inception date was Oct 30th 2023 - approximately 2.3 years of history as of review date. In early October 2024 the fund moved from monthly to weekly distributions. Full Dependability and Return scores for both funds are available in the app.
| IWMI | IWMY | |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Name | NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF - US | Defiance R2000 Weekly Distribution ETF - US |
| Fund Type | Index Based Fund | Index Based Fund |
| Exchange | NYSE/NASDAQ | NYSE/NASDAQ |
| Last Reviewed | 2026-03-16 | 2026-03-10 |
| Author | Adam Hyde, Income Investing Analyst | |
🔒 Full scores available — with Premium subscription
Compare Performance — Free →Fund Attributes: IWMI vs IWMY 20% of overall score
Fund Attributes cover the foundational characteristics of each fund: cost, company backing, track record, and size. These factors reflect stability and cost-efficiency for long-term income investors.
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses are 0.78% (management fee 0.68% contractually capped through September 2026 plus acquired fund fees and expenses of 0.10% from holding VTWO) as of March 2026.
Expense ratio is 1.05% which is high. Increased from 1.02% in the previous review.
NEOS Investments manages approximately $20 billion in assets across 19 ETFs as of early 2026.
Defiance ETFs surpassed $8 Billion in assets under management as of January 2026.
Fund inception June 24 2024. Approximately 1.7 years old as of review date - less than 2 years.
Fund inception date was Oct 30th 2023 - approximately 2.3 years of history as of review date. In early October 2024 the fund moved from monthly to weekly distributions.
Net assets $649.85 million as of March 13 2026 per the fund page.
$100.32 Million in assets under management which is a very small fund. Fund has shrunk from $113 Million in the previous review - likely due to poor performance.
Risk: IWMI vs IWMY 35% of overall score
Risk factors evaluate how each fund manages volatility, diversification, and the nature of its underlying assets — critical considerations for income investors who prioritise capital preservation.
Beta 0.88 vs SPY (weekly; July 2024 to March 2026) - in the 0.80-0.99 range. Standalone volatility 16.86% annualized (weekly total returns per data series) - low-to-moderate. Both metrics support score 4.
Beta vs SPY is approximately -0.16 (2023-11-10 to 2026-03-06) - very low market correlation. Per scoring rules - standalone volatility is used when |beta| < 0.6. Standalone annualized volatility (weekly total returns) is approximately 116.19% - extremely high price choppiness independent of market movements. Combined with severe NAV erosion of approximately -68.61% since inception.
See the full Risk analysis for both IWMI and IWMY — volatility ratings, diversification scores, and analyst notes.
View Plans →Return: IWMI vs IWMY 45% of overall score
Return factors assess income generation quality: current yield, distribution consistency, price history, and payment frequency. This is the most heavily weighted category for income investors.
The fund pays distributions monthly confirmed from distribution history showing consistent monthly payments since June 2024.
Weekly distributions (moved from monthly in early October 2024).
See the full Return analysis for both IWMI and IWMY — yield ratings, distribution consistency scores, and capital history.
View Plans →Our Review Methodology
Every fund reviewed on Dependable Income Investing is scored using our 13-factor Fund Report Card, organised into three weighted categories: Fund Attributes (20%), Risk (35%), and Return (45%). Each criterion is rated 1–5 by our analysts based on publicly available fund data.
We also calculate a Dependability Score — a weighted composite of six income-specific factors ranked by importance for retirement income investors: Yield Stability, Yield, Volatility, Capital History, Fund Risk, and Underlying Assets. This score answers the question income investors care about most: can I depend on this fund to pay me reliably?
Full scores, ratings, and analyst notes for both IWMI and IWMY are available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
See our full scoring methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions: IWMI vs IWMY
Which has a lower expense ratio, IWMI or IWMY?
IWMI: Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses are 0.78% (management fee 0.68% contractually capped through September 2026 plus acquired fund fees and expenses of 0.10% from holding VTWO) as of March 2026.
IWMY: Expense ratio is 1.05% which is high. Increased from 1.02% in the previous review.
Which fund has more assets under management, IWMI or IWMY?
IWMI: Net assets $649.85 million as of March 13 2026 per the fund page.
IWMY: $100.32 Million in assets under management which is a very small fund. Fund has shrunk from $113 Million in the previous review - likely due to poor performance.
Which fund has been trading longer, IWMI or IWMY?
IWMI: Fund inception June 24 2024. Approximately 1.7 years old as of review date - less than 2 years.
IWMY: Fund inception date was Oct 30th 2023 - approximately 2.3 years of history as of review date. In early October 2024 the fund moved from monthly to weekly distributions.
Who manages IWMI vs IWMY?
IWMI: NEOS Investments manages approximately $20 billion in assets across 19 ETFs as of early 2026.
IWMY: Defiance ETFs surpassed $8 Billion in assets under management as of January 2026.
Where can I see the full IWMI vs IWMY comparison with scores?
The complete side-by-side comparison — including all Risk and Return scores, analyst notes, Overall Score, and Dependability Score for both funds — is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
What is the difference between IWMI and IWMY?
NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF - US is a Index Based Fund. Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses are 0.78% (management fee 0.68% contractually capped through September 2026 plus acquired fund fees and expenses of 0.10% from holding VTWO) as of March 2026. Defiance R2000 Weekly Distribution ETF - US is a Index Based Fund. Expense ratio is 1.05% which is high. Increased from 1.02% in the previous review. Full comparison including Dependability Score is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
Which is better for income investors, IWMI or IWMY?
IWMI: Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses are 0.78% (management fee 0.68% contractually capped through September 2026 plus acquired fund fees and expenses of 0.10% from holding VTWO) as of March 2026. Fund inception June 24 2024. Approximately 1.7 years old as of review date - less than 2 years. IWMY: Expense ratio is 1.05% which is high. Increased from 1.02% in the previous review. Fund inception date was Oct 30th 2023 - approximately 2.3 years of history as of review date. In early October 2024 the fund moved from monthly to weekly distributions. Which scores higher on Dependability and Return is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
Do IWMI and IWMY pay monthly distributions?
IWMI: The fund pays distributions monthly confirmed from distribution history showing consistent monthly payments since June 2024. IWMY: Weekly distributions (moved from monthly in early October 2024). Full yield and distribution stability scores for both funds are available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
See the Full IWMI vs IWMY Comparison
The Dependable Income Investing app gives you the complete picture: all 13 scoring factors for both funds, Risk and Return analyst notes, Dependability Scores, and tools to compare any income fund side by side.
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