UCO Dividend: Yield, Schedule, and What to Expect
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
UCO's approximate 0% yield (as of mid-2026) makes it a growth-first, low-yield fund. It tracks Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index (2x daily) and passes through the income its holdings generate, usually quarterly, net of the ~0.95% expense ratio. If income is your goal, look to dedicated dividend funds for more; UCO is built for total return, not yield. If total return is the goal, the yield matters less than cost and what it holds. Yield is a recent snapshot, not a promise; verify the current figure with ProShares.
How does the UCO dividend work?
UCO holds what is in Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index (2x daily), collects the income those holdings generate, and distributes it to shareholders on the schedule the fund sets, most often quarterly, net of its ~0.95% fee. The yield you see is trailing distributions divided by price, so it drifts as both change: a falling price raises the quoted yield without a single extra dollar being paid out.
UCO is a leveraged ETF that seeks daily results, before fees, of 2x (200%) the daily performance of the Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index, which holds WTI futures spread across multiple maturities. Its net expense ratio is about 0.95%. Because leverage resets each day, holding UCO for more than a day compounds returns in ways that differ from twice the oil price move, and contango in the futures curve adds a further drag.
What UCO's dividend pays on a real position
- Approximate yield: 0% (mid-2026).
- Versus the market: the S&P 500 yields around 1.2%.
- Schedule: set by the fund, most often quarterly. ProShares publishes the exact ex-dividend and pay dates.
- Fee: the ~0.95% expense ratio comes out before you receive anything, so the yield above is already net of it.
How UCO distributions are taxed
A large share of UCO's distributions are usually qualified dividends, taxed at long-term capital-gains rates rather than as ordinary income, provided the holding-period tests are met by both the fund and you. Some portion can still be ordinary, and REIT or option-income components generally are. ProShares's annual 1099 shows the actual split. Inside an IRA, Roth, or 401(k) none of it applies while the money stays in the account. Full detail is in how dividends are taxed. This is not tax advice.
If income is your goal, compare UCO against dividend-focused funds. See the best dividend ETFs roundup and best ETFs for monthly income, or analyze how UCO's income fits your real portfolio in Walnut.
The bottom line on the UCO dividend
The bottom line: at an approximate 0% yield, UCO is a growth-first, low-yield fund. If income is your goal, dedicated dividend funds pay more; UCO is the wrong tool for yield and the right one for total-return Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index (2x daily) exposure. If total return is the goal, the yield matters less than cost and what it holds. Treat the figure as a moving snapshot, not a fixed rate, and verify the current yield with ProShares.
More on UCO
- What is UCO? (holdings, cost, performance, and the themes it covers)
- Is UCO a buy? (what you are buying, the case for it, and what to weigh)
Investing in UCO with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how UCO fits what you actually hold: what it overlaps with, what it leaves you exposed to, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is UCO's dividend yield?
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Approximately 0% as of mid-2026. Yield is trailing distributions divided by price, so it moves when either changes; verify the current figure on ProShares's fund page.
How often does UCO pay a dividend?
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Equity ETFs like UCO most often distribute quarterly, though the schedule is set by the fund, not by a rule, and some funds pay monthly, semi-annually, or annually. ProShares publishes UCO's distribution calendar with the exact ex-dividend and pay dates; that is the authoritative source. The mechanic that matters either way: you have to own the shares before the ex-dividend date to receive a given distribution.
Does UCO pay monthly dividends?
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Probably not. UCO is an equity fund, and equity ETFs generally distribute quarterly; monthly distributions are the norm for bond, Treasury, and option-income funds instead. Check ProShares's distribution calendar for UCO's actual schedule, and see our roundup of the best ETFs for monthly income if the cadence is what you are after.
Where does UCO's dividend come from?
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UCO tracks Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index (2x daily) and holds names such as CL, USD. The fund collects the income those holdings generate and passes it through to you. The ~0.95% expense ratio is taken out along the way, so the yield you see is already net of the fee: you do not pay it separately.
When is UCO's ex-dividend date?
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ProShares sets and publishes it on UCO's fund page, and it moves with each distribution, so we do not quote a fixed date here. What it means is the cutoff: buy on or after the ex-dividend date and the seller keeps that distribution. Buying just before the ex-date to capture a payment is not free money, because the fund's price typically drops by roughly the distribution amount when it goes ex.
Can I reinvest UCO dividends?
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Yes. Most brokers let you turn on automatic dividend reinvestment (a DRIP) so UCO distributions buy more shares, often fractional ones, without you doing anything. It compounds the position over time. It does not change the tax treatment: in a taxable account the distribution is taxable in the year it is paid, whether you reinvest it or take the cash.
Is UCO a good choice for dividend income?
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Walnut is informational, not investment advice. UCO yields roughly 0%, which is the figure to check against your income needs. If income is the goal, dedicated dividend and income ETFs target more; UCO is built for total return. See the best dividend ETFs roundup to compare.
Are UCO dividends qualified?
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Usually a large share of them are. Dividends passed through from US companies are qualified, and so taxed at long-term capital-gains rates, when the fund and you both meet the holding-period tests. Some portion can still be ordinary income, and option-income and REIT distributions generally are. ProShares's annual 1099 shows the actual split. In an IRA or Roth the distinction does not matter. This is not tax advice.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Dividend yields and schedules are approximate, stamped to mid-2026, and change; verify current figures with ProShares or your broker.