ADA-USD vs. SPY
ADA-USD (Cardano) is a cryptocurrency, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 5 years, ADA-USD returned -36.26%/yr vs 13.91%/yr for SPY. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ADA-USD vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ADA-USD achieves a -47.64% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.33% return.
ADA-USD
- 1D
- -12.94%
- 1M
- -33.47%
- YTD
- -47.64%
- 6M
- -60.33%
- 1Y
- -73.82%
- 3Y*
- -20.86%
- 5Y*
- -36.26%
- 10Y*
- —
SPY
- 1D
- 0.38%
- 1M
- 4.60%
- YTD
- 11.33%
- 6M
- 11.25%
- 1Y
- 28.50%
- 3Y*
- 22.58%
- 5Y*
- 13.91%
- 10Y*
- 15.48%
ADA-USD vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADA-USD Cardano | -47.64% | -60.53% | 42.06% | 141.64% | -81.22% | 621.17% | 452.29% | -20.01% | -94.29% | 2,145.34% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 11.33% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 3.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between ADA-USD and SPY is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 2017 | 0.22 |
The correlation between ADA-USD and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.22 (all time) to 0.36 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
ADA-USD vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
ADA-USD
SPY
ADA-USD vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cardano (ADA-USD) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| ADA-USD | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -5.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.83 | 1.44 | -0.61 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.90 | 3.22 | -4.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.41 | 14.99 | -16.40 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ADA-USD | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.96 | 2.42 | -3.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.40 | 0.82 | -1.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.87 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.18 | 0.59 | -0.41 |
Drawdowns
ADA-USD vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ADA-USD drawdown since its inception was -97.85%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ADA-USD and SPY.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| ADA-USD | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -97.85% | -55.19% | -42.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -81.87% | -8.88% | -72.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -85.82% | -18.76% | -67.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -94.13% | -24.50% | -69.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.72% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -94.13% | -0.33% | -93.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -77.53% | -9.05% | -68.48% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 59.18% | 1.91% | +57.27% |
Volatility
ADA-USD vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Cardano (ADA-USD) has a higher volatility of 19.07% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.79%. This indicates that ADA-USD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| ADA-USD | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 19.07% | 2.79% | +16.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 52.46% | 8.91% | +43.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 63.72% | 11.82% | +51.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 74.88% | 17.05% | +57.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 102.99% | 17.93% | +85.06% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ADA-USD and SPY have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ADA-USD has higher volatility (19.07%) compared to SPY (2.79%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ADA-USD dropped -97.85% vs SPY's -55.19%.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs -0.96), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
Find the right allocation for ADA-USD and SPY
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer