YieldMax Weekly Dividend ETFs April 2026: YMAX, YMAG, ULTY Complete Breakdown
Monthly dividends are great, but what about getting paid every single week? YieldMax offers a unique product line called weekly dividend (Weekly Payers) ETFs. YMAX, YMAG, and ULTY are the three tickers in this category, and they do exactly what the name suggests — deliver dividend income to your account every week.
In this post, I’m breaking down the April 2026 week-by-week dividend schedule and payouts for all three weekly payers.
Meet the Three Weekly Dividend ETFs
YMAX - YieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs
YMAX is a fund of funds that invests across the entire YieldMax monthly dividend ETF lineup. By holding TSLY, NVDY, CONY, and other YieldMax ETFs in a single wrapper, it provides broad diversification while generating weekly income.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | YieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs |
| Ticker | YMAX |
| Payout Frequency | Weekly |
| Strategy | Portfolio of all YieldMax monthly ETFs |
| Expense Ratio | 0.99% |
| Est. Annualized Yield | ~50% |
YMAG - YieldMax Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs
YMAG focuses exclusively on the Magnificent 7 — Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, NVIDIA, Meta, and Tesla. It invests in the YieldMax covered call ETFs for each of these seven companies, giving you concentrated big tech exposure with weekly payouts.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | YieldMax Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs |
| Ticker | YMAG |
| Payout Frequency | Weekly |
| Strategy | Mag 7-based YieldMax ETF portfolio |
| Expense Ratio | 0.99% |
| Est. Annualized Yield | ~40% |
ULTY - YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF
ULTY is the most aggressive of the three. It concentrates on high-volatility underlying assets to maximize option premiums. The result is the highest yield of the trio — but also the steepest NAV decline.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF |
| Ticker | ULTY |
| Payout Frequency | Weekly |
| Strategy | High-volatility concentration, max premium extraction |
| Expense Ratio | 0.99% |
| Est. Annualized Yield | ~60% |
April 2026 Week-by-Week Dividend Schedule
Weekly payers have ex-dates and pay dates every week. Here’s the full April breakdown:
Week 1 (March 30 ~ April 3)
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Ex-Date | March 31, 2026 (Tue) |
| Pay Date | April 2, 2026 (Thu) |
| Ticker | Div/Share | Price Basis | Weekly Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $0.22 | $16.80 | 1.31% |
| YMAG | $0.17 | $18.50 | 0.92% |
| ULTY | $0.28 | $14.30 | 1.96% |
Week 2 (April 6 ~ April 10)
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Ex-Date | April 7, 2026 (Tue) |
| Pay Date | April 9, 2026 (Thu) |
| Ticker | Div/Share | Price Basis | Weekly Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $0.24 | $16.75 | 1.43% |
| YMAG | $0.18 | $18.45 | 0.98% |
| ULTY | $0.30 | $14.20 | 2.11% |
Week 3 (April 13 ~ April 17)
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Ex-Date | April 14, 2026 (Tue) |
| Pay Date | April 16, 2026 (Thu) |
| Ticker | Div/Share | Price Basis | Weekly Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $0.21 | $16.70 | 1.26% |
| YMAG | $0.16 | $18.40 | 0.87% |
| ULTY | $0.26 | $14.15 | 1.84% |
Week 4 (April 20 ~ April 24)
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Ex-Date | April 21, 2026 (Tue) |
| Pay Date | April 23, 2026 (Thu) |
| Ticker | Div/Share | Price Basis | Weekly Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $0.23 | $16.65 | 1.38% |
| YMAG | $0.17 | $18.35 | 0.93% |
| ULTY | $0.29 | $14.10 | 2.06% |
Week 5 (April 27 ~ May 1)
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Ex-Date | April 28, 2026 (Tue) |
| Pay Date | April 30, 2026 (Thu) |
| Ticker | Div/Share | Price Basis | Weekly Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $0.22 | $16.60 | 1.33% |
| YMAG | $0.17 | $18.30 | 0.93% |
| ULTY | $0.27 | $14.05 | 1.92% |
April Monthly Totals
April has five payout weeks, making it a bigger-than-average month for income. Here are the totals:
| Ticker | April Total (5 weeks) | Price Basis (Month Start) | April Total Yield | Annualized Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $1.12 | $16.80 | 6.67% | ~50.0% |
| YMAG | $0.85 | $18.50 | 4.59% | ~40.1% |
| ULTY | $1.40 | $14.30 | 9.79% | ~62.6% |
Key insight: April is a 5-payout month, which occurs roughly 4~5 times per year. These months naturally have higher total distributions than 4-payout months.
Head-to-Head Comparison: YMAX vs YMAG vs ULTY
These three ETFs have meaningfully different risk/return profiles:
| Factor | YMAX | YMAG | ULTY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy | Broad diversification | Mag 7 focused | High-volatility max yield |
| Annualized Yield | ~50% | ~40% | ~60% |
| NAV Stability | Medium | Medium~Good | Low |
| Volatility | Medium | Medium | High |
| Best For | Balanced investors | Big tech believers | Aggressive income seekers |
| Expense Ratio | 0.99% | 0.99% | 0.99% |
YMAX: The Diversified Pick
YMAX spreads across the entire YieldMax ecosystem. No single ticker dominates, so one bad apple won’t spoil the basket.
Pros: Broad diversification, convenient one-stop YieldMax exposure, smooths out individual stock spikes Cons: Drags in underperforming ETFs too, double fee structure (YMAX fees + underlying ETF fees)
YMAG: The Big Tech Bet
YMAG concentrates on seven of the most valuable companies on earth. If big tech keeps winning, YMAG’s NAV holds up better than the alternatives.
Pros: Seven world-class companies, better NAV resilience in tech bull markets, most conservative yield profile Cons: Concentrated sector risk if big tech corrects, Tesla volatility can drag the whole portfolio
ULTY: Maximum Yield, Maximum Risk
ULTY is for investors who want the biggest possible dividend checks and understand the price they’re paying for it.
Pros: Highest yield (~60% annualized), largest weekly payouts, great for short-term income goals Cons: Fastest NAV erosion, total return often far below headline yield, highest long-term capital loss risk
$10,000 Investment Simulation
Let’s see what April looks like with $10,000 in each ETF:
YMAX ($10,000)
| Week | Shares | Div/Share | Total Div |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 595 | $0.22 | $130.90 |
| Week 2 | 595 | $0.24 | $142.80 |
| Week 3 | 595 | $0.21 | $124.95 |
| Week 4 | 595 | $0.23 | $136.85 |
| Week 5 | 595 | $0.22 | $130.90 |
| Total | $666.40 |
Pre-tax monthly: $666. After 15% withholding: ~$566. Annualized after-tax: ~$6,800.
YMAG ($10,000)
| Week | Shares | Div/Share | Total Div |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 540 | $0.17 | $91.80 |
| Week 2 | 540 | $0.18 | $97.20 |
| Week 3 | 540 | $0.16 | $86.40 |
| Week 4 | 540 | $0.17 | $91.80 |
| Week 5 | 540 | $0.17 | $91.80 |
| Total | $459.00 |
Pre-tax monthly: $459. After 15% withholding: ~$390. Annualized after-tax: ~$4,680.
ULTY ($10,000)
| Week | Shares | Div/Share | Total Div |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 699 | $0.28 | $195.72 |
| Week 2 | 699 | $0.30 | $209.70 |
| Week 3 | 699 | $0.26 | $181.74 |
| Week 4 | 699 | $0.29 | $202.71 |
| Week 5 | 699 | $0.27 | $188.73 |
| Total | $978.60 |
Pre-tax monthly: $979. After 15% withholding: ~$832. Annualized after-tax: ~$9,984.
Critical caveat: These simulations assume stable dividend levels and do NOT account for NAV decline. Your actual investment return is dividends MINUS NAV loss. Do not mistake dividend income for profit.
NAV Trends: The Number That Actually Matters
The most important metric for weekly payer investors is NAV erosion speed. Impressive dividends mean nothing if your principal melts faster.
Q1 2026 NAV Performance (Estimated)
| Ticker | Jan 1 NAV | Mar 31 NAV | Quarterly NAV Change | Q1 Dividends | Total Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YMAX | $17.50 | $16.80 | -4.0% | +$2.85 (16.3%) | +12.3% |
| YMAG | $19.20 | $18.50 | -3.6% | +$2.15 (11.2%) | +7.6% |
| ULTY | $15.80 | $14.30 | -9.5% | +$3.45 (21.8%) | +12.3% |
Here’s what jumps out:
- ULTY has the highest dividend yield (21.8%) but also the worst NAV decline (-9.5%). Its total return matches YMAX at 12.3%.
- YMAG has the lowest yield but the most modest NAV decline, producing the best capital preservation.
- When measured by total return, the gap between all three narrows dramatically. Headline yield differences are misleading.
This is exactly why you should evaluate covered call ETFs on total return, not yield.
Weekly vs Monthly Dividends: Which Is Better?
| Factor | Weekly (YMAX, YMAG, ULTY) | Monthly (TSLY, NVDY, etc.) |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Flow Frequency | 52x/year | 12x/year |
| Reinvestment Efficiency | Higher (more frequent) | Standard |
| Compounding Potential | Theoretically higher | Standard |
| Diversification | Portfolio-level (fund of funds) | Single-stock focused |
| Fee Structure | Double layer (0.99% + underlying) | Single layer (~0.99%) |
| Tax Complexity | Higher (weekly events) | Moderate |
Weekly payers shine when: You need regular cash flow (retirement income, etc.), you prefer automatic diversification, or you want to reinvest frequently.
Monthly payers win when: You have conviction in a specific stock, you want the highest possible individual yield, or you want to avoid the double-fee structure.
Key Warnings for Weekly Payer Investors
1. Double Fee Structure
YMAX, YMAG, and ULTY charge 0.99% on top of the underlying ETFs’ fees. Your actual all-in cost is estimated at 1.5~2.0%, which compounds meaningfully over time.
2. Dividend Variability
Even within a single month, weekly payouts fluctuate. Option rollover timing and market conditions create week-to-week differences, as you can see in the data above.
3. Relentless NAV Pressure
With dividends being extracted weekly, NAV faces constant downward pressure. Monitor at least monthly and calculate whether cumulative dividends are outpacing NAV decline.
4. Tax Complexity
Weekly distributions mean weekly taxable events. This can complicate year-end tax reporting, especially if you’re near income thresholds that trigger higher tax brackets.
5. Position Sizing
These ETFs are exciting income generators, but they should be a portion of your portfolio, not the whole thing. Balance them against stocks, bonds, real estate, and other asset classes.
April Weekly Calendar Summary
| Week | Ex-Date | Pay Date | YMAX | YMAG | ULTY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 3/31 (Tue) | 4/2 (Thu) | $0.22 | $0.17 | $0.28 |
| Week 2 | 4/7 (Tue) | 4/9 (Thu) | $0.24 | $0.18 | $0.30 |
| Week 3 | 4/14 (Tue) | 4/16 (Thu) | $0.21 | $0.16 | $0.26 |
| Week 4 | 4/21 (Tue) | 4/23 (Thu) | $0.23 | $0.17 | $0.29 |
| Week 5 | 4/28 (Tue) | 4/30 (Thu) | $0.22 | $0.17 | $0.27 |
Related Resources
- YieldMax Group A April 2026 Breakdown - TSLY, OARK, APLY (week 1 monthly)
- YieldMax Group B April 2026 Breakdown - NVDY, AMZY, GOOGY (week 2 monthly)
- YieldMax Group D April 2026 Breakdown - MSFO, PLTY (week 4 monthly)
Final Thoughts
YieldMax weekly dividend ETFs offer the unique appeal of income deposited into your account every single week. For investors who need regular cash flow or who enjoy the psychological boost of frequent payouts, YMAX, YMAG, and ULTY are compelling options.
But the most critical lesson is this: headline yield and actual total return are two different numbers. ULTY’s ~60% annualized yield does NOT mean you’re earning 60%. After factoring in NAV erosion, the real number is much lower — and in bad markets, it can go negative.
If you decide to invest in weekly payers, know your goals, size your positions appropriately, and check total return (dividends minus NAV change) at least monthly. That single habit will protect you from the biggest mistake in covered call ETF investing: confusing income with profit.
Disclaimer: The dividend and yield data in this article are April 2026 estimates and may differ from actual declared amounts. This is not investment advice. All investment decisions and their consequences are your own responsibility.
What are YieldMax weekly dividend ETFs?
They are YieldMax ETFs that pay dividends every week instead of monthly. YMAX, YMAG, and ULTY are the three weekly payers, offering more frequent cash flow than traditional monthly dividend ETFs.
What are the real yields on weekly dividend ETFs?
As of 2026, YMAX has an annualized yield of approximately 50%, YMAG about 40%, and ULTY about 60%. However, when you account for NAV decline, actual total returns are significantly lower.