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The Invesco QQQ ETF Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) is a favorite among growth-minded investors. The passively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracks the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 index and has outperformed the S&P 500 index over the past 10 years, with returns of about 396% versus 220%. But the ETF carries substantial risks and tends to suffer steeper losses than the S&P 500 index during bear markets.
This article will cover how to invest in the Invesco QQQ ETF. You'll learn about the fund's largest holdings, its dividend history, expense ratio, and more so that you can decide whether the ETF fits with your financial goals.
The Invesco QQQ ETF is a collection of stocks that tracks the performance of the 100 largest nonfinancial stocks listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. Founded in 1999, it's among the most widely traded ETFs in the U.S. The QQQ is the fifth-largest ETF in the U.S., with about $302 billion in assets under management as of May 2025.
Like its benchmark index, the Invesco QQQ ETF is market-cap weighted, meaning that each company's representation in the fund's holdings is determined by its market capitalization. The fund is dominated by tech stocks, which account for about 57% of its holdings, followed by consumer discretionary stocks (20%) and healthcare stocks (6%).
Invesco launched another fund called the Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (NASDAQ:QQQM) in 2020 that also tracks the Nasdaq-100 index. The QQQM has lower fees than the QQQ, which may make it more appealing to retail investors. However, the QQQ is far more liquid than the QQQM, which is why high-volume traders like institutional investors and day traders still tend to prefer the QQQ.
To invest in ETFs, including the Invesco QQQ ETF, you'll follow the exact same steps you'd follow if you were buying an individual stock. If you're a new investor or could use a refresher, here's how to buy shares.
The Invesco QQQ ETF comes with a relatively high level of risk, so it's not appropriate for every investor. Here are a few situations where investing in the QQQ makes sense, as well as some times you should pass.
Consider investing in the Invesco QQQ ETF if:
The Invesco QQQ ETF probably isn't right for you if:
The Invesco QQQ ETF consists of the 100 largest nonfinancial stocks that trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Though it's not a sector ETF that focuses on tech stocks, the majority of its holdings are in the technology sector. In fact, Costco is the only non-tech company represented in its top 10 holdings. As of mid-May 2025, the ETF's largest holdings were:
Altogether, the Invest QQQ ETF's 10 largest holdings account for about half of its weighting by market capitalization. Note that all 10 of these stocks are already represented in the S&P 500 index. If you already own an S&P 500 index fund or a similar ETF or mutual fund that tracks most of the U.S. stock market, the Invesco QQQ ETF won't do much to diversify your portfolio. Rather, it will provide additional exposure to many of the same underlying stocks.
An ETF expense ratio is the percentage of your investment that goes toward fees when you purchase a fund. The Invesco QQQ ETF's expense ratio is 0.2%, which means $20 of a $10,000 investment would go toward fees, while the remaining $9,980 would be invested in the fund.
It's important to be aware of expense ratios because even small fees can erode your investment returns over time.
The Invesco QQQ ETF pays a quarterly dividend determined by the dividend payments that the companies in the fund make to shareholders. As of May 2025, the annual dividend yield was 0.59%. By comparison, the S&P 500 index's dividend yield was about 1.3% for the same period.
It's not surprising that the Invesco QQQ ETF's dividend yield is modest. Growth stocks don't typically provide generous dividends because they use their profits to fuel expansion rather than paying extra cash for shareholders. If you're seeking investment income, a dividend ETF will be a better pick than the Invesco QQQ Trust.
If you'd invested $10,000 in the Invesco QQQ ETF a decade ago, you'd have about $45,000 today. The QQQ has delivered higher returns than the S&P 500 in the long term, although past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
Not surprisingly, it tends to fare worse than the S&P 500 when the stock market is performing poorly, though. That's because in turbulent times, investors often turn to value stocks instead of the growth stocks that are heavily represented in the QQQ.
Source: Invesco. Data current as of May 11, 2025.
The Invesco QQQ ETF deserves consideration if you can afford to take a relatively high level of risk. However, due to its heavy concentration in the tech sector, it's not a substitute for an S&P 500 ETF or a total stock market index fund, both of which provide a lot more diversification. Consider buying shares of the ETF only if you already have a well-diversified mix of investments and are looking for more exposure to high-growth tech stocks.
*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.