Updated Reviewed quarterly
QQQ vs SOXX: ETF Comparison
QQQ · Invesco
TER 0.20% · Yield 0.7%
SOXX · iShares
TER 0.35% · Yield 0.8%
Both QQQ and SOXX are US-listed and trigger FIF tax for NZ residents above the NZ$50,000 overseas-share threshold. The comparison is about exposure, fee, and strategy — both share the same NZ tax friction.
In 30 seconds: QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust, Invesco) trades on the NASDAQ at 0.20% TER. SOXX (iShares Semiconductor ETF, iShares) trades on the NASDAQ at 0.35% TER. Both QQQ and SOXX are US-listed and trigger FIF tax for NZ residents above the NZ$50,000 overseas-share threshold. The comparison is about exposure, fee, and strategy — both share the same NZ tax friction.
- QQQ: Invesco QQQ Trust — 0.20% TER, FIF above NZ$50K
- SOXX: iShares Semiconductor ETF — 0.35% TER, FIF above NZ$50K
- QQQ yield: 0.7% (Quarterly)
- SOXX yield: 0.8% (Quarterly)
- Cheaper TER: QQQ
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | QQQ | SOXX |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | Invesco QQQ Trust | iShares Semiconductor ETF |
| Issuer | Invesco | iShares |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| Total expense ratio | 0.20% | 0.35% |
| Dividend yield (TTM) | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| NZ tax wrapper | FIF above NZ$50K | FIF above NZ$50K |
Where to buy
QQQ trades on the NASDAQ. SOXX trades on the NASDAQ. Both are US-listed and accessible via Hatch, Stake, Sharesies, Tiger and Interactive Brokers. See all 11 NZ investment platforms compared.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between QQQ and SOXX? ▾
QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) charges 0.20% TER vs SOXX (iShares Semiconductor ETF) at 0.35%. QQQ is from Invesco; SOXX is from iShares. Both QQQ and SOXX are US-listed and trigger FIF tax for NZ residents above the NZ$50,000 overseas-share threshold. The comparison is about exposure, fee, and strategy — both share the same NZ tax friction.
Which has the lower fee, QQQ or SOXX? ▾
QQQ is cheaper at 0.20% TER vs SOXX at 0.35% — a gap of 0.15 percentage points. Over 30 years on a NZ$50,000 portfolio at 7% pre-fee return, that fee gap compounds to roughly NZ15,686 of foregone wealth.
Which yields more, QQQ or SOXX? ▾
QQQ trailing 12-month yield is 0.7%; SOXX is 0.8%. Headline yield is gross; after-tax outcome depends on your tax wrapper (FIF above NZ$50K for QQQ, FIF above NZ$50K for SOXX).
Can NZ residents buy both QQQ and SOXX? ▾
Yes. QQQ (NASDAQ) is available via Hatch, Stake, Sharesies, Tiger, Interactive Brokers. SOXX (NASDAQ) is available via Hatch, Stake, Sharesies, Tiger, IBKR.
How does NZ tax differ between QQQ and SOXX? ▾
QQQ is FIF above NZ$50K. SOXX is FIF above NZ$50K. Same tax wrapper, no structural tax difference between the two for NZ residents. See /tax/pie-vs-fif/ for the full mechanics.
