2026 ETF.com Award Nominees: Options Income
The Options Income ETF category saw 60 new launches in 2025, pulling in $2.6B in first-year flows. The category held 151 funds by year's end, with $112B in total assets and $39B in flows1.
Options income remains one of the hottest spaces in ETFs. This year’s nominees show the category maturing—from Buffett portfolios with yield to autocallables to crypto covered calls. Note: nominees here may also appear in other categories, as options income strategies cut across asset classes.
The Nominees
| Ticker | Fund Name | AUM | YTD Flows | ER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMAH | VistaShares Target 15 Berkshire Select Income ETF | $663M | $671M | 0.95% |
| CAIE | Calamos Autocallable Income ETF | $508M | $499M | 0.74% |
| SFTY | Horizon Managed Risk ETF | $341M | $313M | 0.77% |
| IAUI | NEOS Gold High Income ETF | $272M | $249M | 0.78% |
| TCAL | T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Premium Income ETF | $208M | $188M | 0.34% |
OMAH - VistaShares Target 15 Berkshire Select Income ETF
Launched: March 2025 | ER: 0.95% | AUM: $663M | Issuer: VistaShares
Investment Strategy: OMAH seeks income and long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies from the Solactive VistaShares Berkshire Select Index and an option strategy that targets 15% annual income with monthly distributions. The strategy mirrors Berkshire Hathaway’s top 20 holdings plus BRK.B itself, then writes covered calls.
- Merit: Very High - Clever combination of two powerful concepts
- Position: First-mover on Buffett + income thesis
- Utility: Excellent - “Berkshire but with 15% yield” is instant pitch
- Power: High - Buffett brand is enduring
Why it’s nominated: Warren Buffett’s portfolio is the most followed in the world—but it doesn’t pay much income. OMAH solves that by adding a covered call overlay targeting 15% distributions. The $663M in AUM and $671M in flows (more flows than AUM means investors are staying) prove the concept resonates. This is smart product design.
CAIE - Calamos Autocallable Income ETF
Launched: June 2025 | ER: 0.74% | AUM: $508M | Issuer: Calamos
Investment Strategy: The first ETF delivering autocallable income strategy. Holds 52+ autocallables laddered weekly, targeting elevated income with downside barriers. Delivered a 17.48% inaugural distribution. Won “Most Innovative Product” at SRP Americas 2025.
- Merit: Very High - Democratizes the hottest structured product
- Position: First-mover, category creator
- Utility: Excellent - “17% income with 40% barrier” is compelling
- Power: Very High - Autocallables are the fastest-growing structured product segment
Why it’s nominated: Autocallables have been Wall Street’s hottest income product—but only for the wealthy. CAIE brings that strategy to the ETF wrapper. The SRP innovation award validates this isn’t just marketing; it’s genuine product innovation.
SFTY - Horizon Managed Risk ETF
Launched: June 2025 | ER: 0.77% | AUM: $341M | Issuer: Horizon
Investment Strategy: This actively managed strategy offers investors the chance to harness the majority of large-cap gains while mitigating risk during drawdowns. The fund invests in equities while using options strategically to reduce portfolio volatility and maintain equity upside participation.
- Merit: High - risk management focus differentiates from yield-chasers
- Position: Distinct approach in crowded category
- Utility: Good - “managed risk” appeals to conservative advisors
- Power: Moderate - depends on delivering on risk reduction promise
Why it’s nominated: SFTY is an odd fit for this category, as its goal is not to distribute income back to investors. Instead it’s about managing risk, offering a differentiated take on options. The $341M in AUM suggests advisors wanted an alternative to the yield-generating crowd.
IAUI - NEOS Gold High Income ETF
Launched: June 2025 | ER: 0.78% | AUM: $272M | Issuer: NEOS
Investment Strategy: The fund seeks high monthly income generation by investing in gold-related securities (ETPs with direct gold exposure) and writing call options to generate income on gold ETPs. As gold doesn’t pay dividends, IAUI instead manufactures yield through volatility harvesting.
- Merit: High - Differentiated asset class for options income
- Position: First-mover on systematic gold income
- Utility: Excellent - “Gold with yield” solves a real problem
- Power: Moderate - Depends on gold volatility remaining elevated
Why it’s nominated: IAUI applies NEOS's options income expertise to gold exposure. Gold has always been the income investor’s dilemma—you want the hedge, but it pays nothing. IAUI solves that by harvesting volatility premium through options. The $272M in AUM proves income-focused investors wanted gold exposure with yield.
TCAL - T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Premium Income ETF
Launched: 2025 | ER: 0.34% | AUM: $208M | Issuer: T. Rowe Price
Investment Strategy: TCAL combines T. Rowe Price’s quality equity approach with a premium income overlay. The strategy offers regular distributions generated through dividends from the equities invested in, as well as income earned from covered call premiums.
- Merit: High - T. Rowe Price quality + income at low cost
- Position: Institutional credibility in retail-dominated category
- Utility: Good - “T. Rowe Price income” carries weight with advisors
- Power: High - Quality and low cost compound over time
Why it’s nominated: At 34 basis points, TCAL is among the cheapest options income ETFs available. T. Rowe Price’s institutional reputation adds credibility to a category dominated by aggressive yield marketing. For advisors who want options income without the yield-chasing, TCAL is a credible alternative.
- All data sourced from FactSet as of 12/26/25.
For more information about the ETF.com awards process, click here.
