QQQ vs VIRT: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) and Virtu Financial, Inc. (VIRT) carry a correlation of 0.12, a weak link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are QQQ and VIRT?
On 3 years of weekly data the QQQ/VIRT correlation comes out at 0.12, weak. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of 0.20 lands near the 3-year figure. The 5-year figure is 0.23, and annualized covariance runs at 84.8 %².
Within QQQ's tracked universe of 4755 assets, VIRT comes in at #3704 by 3-year correlation. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with VIRT ahead by 34.2 points (+26.3% versus +60.5%). One caveat on sizing: VIRT is 1.8 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
QQQ vs VIRT: side by side
| QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | VIRT (Virtu Financial, Inc.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +26.3% | +60.5% |
| 5-year return | +95.4% | +221.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 19.6% | 36.1% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.28 | 0.38 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -22.8% | -27.8% |
| Market cap | – | $5.9B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | 11.1 |
| Dividend yield | 0.44% | 1.46% |
| Expense ratio | 0.18% | – |
| Assets under management | $452.8B | – |
| Sector / category | ETF · US Growth & Tech | US Listed |
On the fund side, QQQ sits in the Large Growth category at Invesco, with $452.8B under management, 104 holdings, a 0.18% expense ratio, a 0.44% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | QQQ | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -32.6% | -26.5% |
| 2023 | +54.9% | +4.6% |
| 2024 | +25.6% | +83.0% |
| 2025 | +20.8% | -4.2% |
| 2026 | +17.7% | +103.3% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are QQQ and VIRT good diversifiers for each other?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of 0.12 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
FAQ
What is the correlation between QQQ and VIRT?
The QQQ/VIRT correlation stands at 0.12 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.20, 5 years: 0.23), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is VIRT a good diversifier for QQQ?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of 0.12 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
What does a correlation of 0.12 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.12 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/qqq-vs-virt.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/qqq-vs-virt/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: QQQ correlations · VIRT correlations
