Which way is up? Use VIXY for SPXL
Today’s Change (Mar 17, 2026)
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A symphony is an automated trading strategy — Learn more about symphonies here
About
An all-in timing strategy that toggles between 3x long SPXL and cash-like BIL based on VIXY volatility signals and SPY momentum (RSI), with daily rebalancing.
Two-step daily decision process:
- Step 1 (volatility rule): If VIXY price is below its 9-day moving average, allocate 100% to SPXL (bet on a rising market with 3x leverage).
- Step 2 (fallback rule): If the first condition isn’t met, examine SPY’s momentum. If RSI(SPY) is below 30 (meaning SPY has recently pulled back too far), allocate 100% to SPXL. Otherwise, allocate 100% to BIL (short-term Treasuries, a cash-like holding).
Rebalance happens every trading day, switching fully between SPXL and BIL depending on the signals. The strategy uses known tickers: SPXL (3x S&P 500), SPY (S&P 500), BIL (short-term Treasuries), and VIXY (volatility index ETF) to guide decisions. It does not diversify across many assets; it concentrates risk on SPXL during signals and shifts to BIL as a protective position when signals don’t align with a bullish setup.
Out-of-sample annualized return ~38% vs SPY ~17%, with Sharpe ~0.96 and Calmar ~1.25. A simple volatility/momentum timing strategy aiming for outsized upside and strong risk-adjusted return, but with higher drawdowns (~30% vs ~19%).
1M
3M
6M
YTD
1Y
3Y
Max
Performance
Compared to selected benchmarks
| Alpha | Beta | R2 | R | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.17 | 1.73 | 0.58 | 0.76 |
Performance Metrics
| Cumulative Return | Annualized Return | Trailing 1M Return | Trailing 3M Return | Sharpe Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 578.18% | 13.48% | -1.77% | 0.2% | 0.83 | |
| 18,064.5% | 41.02% | 0.76% | -0.03% | 1.08 |
Initial Investment
$10,000.00
Final Value
$1,816,449.57Regulatory Fees
$7,531.64
Total Slippage
$50,791.58
Invest in this strategy
OOS Start Date
Oct 15, 2024
Trading Setting
Daily
Type
Stocks
Category
Equities, leveraged etfs, volatility timing, tactical asset allocation