What if your retirement portfolio could pay you 17% a year… every year?
Sounds like a dream, right?
$100,000 invested → over $17,000 in annual income.
Enough to cover bills. Maybe even retire early.
That’s exactly what TDAQ (TAP Alpha Innovation 100 Growth & Daily Income ETF) is promising — and it’s why this ETF is exploding across investing circles right now.
But here’s the real question nobody can ignore:
👉 Is this a retirement goldmine… or a dangerous illusion?
Let’s break down what actually happened during TDAQ’s first 3 months, using real 2025 data — and uncover whether this ETF deserves a place in your portfolio.
What Is TDAQ Actually Doing With Your Money?
Before chasing that juicy yield, you need to understand how it’s generated.
TDAQ invests 99% of its assets in QQQ, the ETF that tracks the NASDAQ-100 — meaning your money is heavily exposed to tech giants like:
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NVIDIA (~10%)
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Microsoft (~9%)
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Apple
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Amazon
📊 Over 55% tech exposure
So far, so good. Growth stocks, innovation, big names.
But here’s where things get interesting 👇
The Daily Options Strategy
Every single trading day, TDAQ sells same-day call options (0DTE) on the NASDAQ-100.
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These options expire the same day
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The ETF collects premium income
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That income is paid out to investors monthly
In October and November 2025 alone, TDAQ paid $0.38 per share each month.
Think of it like this:
You own the tech stocks — and TDAQ sells “insurance” on them daily. Most days, the options expire worthless… and the ETF keeps the cash.
That cash becomes your “income”.
Sounds brilliant, right?
The Big Retirement Question: Can 17% Income Last?
To answer that, we need to look at three critical factors:
✅ Sustainability
✅ Reliability
✅ Total Return
And this is where reality hits.
Early Performance: Promising… at First
From September 4 to October 29, 2025:
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TDAQ total return: +10.57%
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NASDAQ-100 (QQQ): +10.16%
TDAQ actually outperformed — while paying income.
So far? Very impressive.
Then November & December Changed Everything
As markets surged with low volatility, tech stocks exploded upward.
Here’s what happened:
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TDAQ (from inception): +8.55%
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QQQ (2025): +20.48%
That’s an 11.9% performance gap.
Why?
Because when markets rise sharply, TDAQ’s sold call options cap the upside. Gains above ~2% in a day? Gone.
Meanwhile, QQQ investors enjoyed the full rally.
Why This Matters for Retirement
Let’s make it real.
Scenario:
You retire with $500,000 in September 2025.
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Invest in TDAQ → collect ~$3,100 in income
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Portfolio grows just 8.55%
But if you chose QQQ:
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Minimal income
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Portfolio grows 20%+
That’s a difference of tens of thousands of dollars in net worth.
And in retirement, portfolio value matters just as much as income.
The Truth About the “17% Yield”
Here’s what many investors miss 👇
That 17% is not a traditional dividend.
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A large portion is Return of Capital (ROC)
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October 2025 distribution was 100% ROC
What does that mean?
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You’re getting your own money back
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It’s tax-efficient (not taxed immediately)
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But it reduces your cost basis
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Future taxes increase when you sell
It feels like income… but part of it is simply capital being returned.
Volatility: The Hidden Risk Retirees Can’t Ignore
TDAQ thrives when markets are:
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Choppy
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Volatile
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Sideways
But when markets:
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Rally smoothly → income shrinks
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Crash hard → principal drops & income becomes unpredictable
That’s not ideal for stable retirement income.
Fees Matter (More Than You Think)
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TDAQ expense ratio: 0.68%
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QQQ expense ratio: 0.20%
On an $800,000 portfolio:
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TDAQ fees: $5,440/year
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QQQ fees: $1,600/year
That’s $3,840 extra every year TDAQ must outperform — just to break even.
So… Who Is TDAQ Actually For?
TDAQ may work if you:
✔ Already have stable income (pension, rental, Social Security)
✔ Can tolerate high risk & tech concentration
✔ Understand options strategies
✔ Are comfortable with a brand-new ETF
✔ Expect volatile, sideways markets
🚫 But for most retirees, TDAQ is not suitable as a core holding.
A smarter approach?
➡ Use TDAQ as 5–10% of a diversified portfolio — not your entire retirement plan.
Final Verdict: Can TDAQ’s 17% Yield Fund Your Retirement?
Technically? Yes — if markets cooperate.
Realistically? No — it’s too risky, too young, and too dependent on volatility.
The 17% yield is real — but so are the trade-offs:
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Capped upside
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Tech concentration
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Uncertain sustainability
Don’t put your retirement future into a 3-month-old ETF just because the yield looks sexy on paper.
Want to Buy ETFs Like TDAQ the Smart Way?
If you’re considering ETFs like TDAQ — or want to build a diversified portfolio with better tools, data, and low fees — I personally recommend moomoo.
📈 Why moomoo?
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Advanced ETF & stock analytics
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Real-time data
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Beginner-friendly + pro-level tools
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Perfect for long-term and tactical investors
👉 Open a moomoo account & explore ETFs here:
🔗 https://j.moomoo.com/0xFRE4
⚠️ This article is for educational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
🔥 If this helped you, share it with someone planning retirement.
The wrong ETF choice can cost YEARS of financial freedom.
