The video argues that three relatively new income ETFs are "soaring" in 2026 and may deserve a look for investors seeking yield plus sector exposure: NEOS MLP and Energy Infrastructure High Income ETF (MLPI), YieldMax Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF (CHPY/"Chippy"), and Top Alpha Innovation 100 Daily Income ETF (TDAQ/TDAC). The speaker frames them as newer, less-discussed alternatives to more familiar income funds, but repeatedly warns that yields, expenses, and option strategies can change and that viewers should do their own research.
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Steve, the host of The Frugal Expat, presents the video as a quick breakdown of three newer option-income ETFs that are “starting to soar” in 2026 and are not yet as widely discussed as funds like SPY, QQQI, and T-Span. His core pitch is not that these are universally best-in-class, but that they are interesting income vehicles with different underlying exposures — energy infrastructure, semiconductors, and the Nasdaq 100 — that could potentially complement a portfolio if the investor understands the risks. The first fund discussed is MLPI, the NEOS MLP and Energy Infrastructure High Income ETF. Steve says it launched in early December 2025, carries a 0.68% expense ratio, and yields about 15% depending on the month. He describes the portfolio as about 80% invested in North American energy infrastructure such as pipelines, storage facilities, and processing plants. …
Tactically, these funds look most attractive if you want income from sectors already showing strength and if the market remains choppy rather than trend-blasting higher. The near-term risk is that headline yields reset or strong rallies reduce option-income appeal.
Over the next few months, the setup depends on whether energy, semis, and large-cap tech stay supportive enough for option overlays to keep paying. If volatility stays elevated and distributions hold up, the products can keep attracting flows; if not, the thesis weakens quickly.
Longer term, the video points to a durable regime where investors increasingly use options-based ETFs to harvest income from equities and sector exposure. The enduring issue is that these vehicles trade away some upside and can disappoint if investors mistake yield for total return certainty.
CHPY has generated strong total returns since launch and offers unusually high income from a semiconductor portfolio.
The speaker cites about 89% total return since April 2025 and a 31-45% yield, using those figures to argue the ETF has performed well so far.
TDAC is a new Nasdaq-100 covered-call ETF that uses a zero-days-to-expiration strategy to generate about a 17% yield.
The speaker explains that it owns Nasdaq-100 exposure, sells daily zero-DTE calls, and distributes the resulting premium as monthly income.
MLPI is a newly launched NEOS energy infrastructure covered-call ETF with roughly a 15% yield.
The speaker says the fund launched in December 2025 and is yielding around 14-16%, implying it is an income-focused new ETF.
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