VIX/VIX3M Ratio — Inverse Volatility Timing Gauge

as of

VIX Spot

VIX3M (VXV)

Contango F1/Spot

1-Day Change

7-Day Change

30-Day Change

Historical Percentile

All-Time Mean Ratio

since data collection began

Standard Deviation

±1σ from mean

Lowest Ratio

Highest Ratio

Ratio < 1.0 (Contango)

of all observations

Ratio ≥ 0.917 (Exit Zone)

per Vance Harwood strategy

VIX/VIX3M Ratio Scale

0.80

0.90

1.00

1.10

1.20

▲ 0.917

Strong Contango Contango Flat Backwardation Crisis

90-Day VIX/VIX3M Ratio

Inverse Volatility Signal History

Steepest Contango

Maximum Backwardation

VIX Spot (Latest)

Current Signal

About the VIX/VIX3M Ratio

The VIX/VIX3M ratio compares the Cboe's 30-day implied volatility index (VIX) to its 3-month implied volatility index (VIX3M, formerly VXV). A ratio below 1.0 indicates a contango term structure — short volatility positions profit from roll decay. A ratio above 1.0 signals backwardation — volatility is rising and inverse vol positions are at risk.

Vance Harwood's inverse volatility strategy (SixFigureInvesting.com, 2012) uses a threshold of 0.917 as the exit signal: when VIX/VIX3M exceeds 0.917, go to cash. This threshold was tested on ZIV (medium-term inverse volatility ETN) and produced a 70% annualized return with 11% max drawdown from 2010–2012. The strategy was in cash during the Feb 2018 VIXmageddon, avoiding the 96% XIV crash.

Data updated every 30 minutes during US equity hours. Full article ↗

Data updated every 30 min during market hours —

VIX / VIX3M Ratio

VIX/VIX3M Ratio Scale

90-Day VIX/VIX3M Ratio

Inverse Volatility Signal History

About the VIX/VIX3M Ratio