ARKB vs. BTC-USD

Last updated Apr 4, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and Bitcoin (BTC-USD).

ARKB is a passively managed fund by ARK that tracks the performance of the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant. It was launched on Jan 10, 2024.

Performance

ARKB vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and Bitcoin (BTC-USD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ARKB vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ARKB ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF	-23.42%	-6.59%	99.47%
BTC-USD Bitcoin	-23.54%	-6.27%	101.44%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with ARKB having a -23.42% return and BTC-USD slightly lower at -23.54%.

ARKB

• 1D: -1.68%
• 1M: -8.33%
• YTD: -23.42%
• 6M: -45.53%
• 1Y: -18.40%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BTC-USD

• 1D: 0.01%
• 1M: -7.96%
• YTD: -23.54%
• 6M: -45.31%
• 1Y: -19.57%
• 3Y*: 33.40%
• 5Y*: 2.82%
• 10Y*: 65.95%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Return for Risk

ARKB vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ARKB

ARKB Risk / Return Rank: 4
ARKB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4
ARKB Sortino Ratio Rank: 4
ARKB Omega Ratio Rank: 5
ARKB Calmar Ratio Rank: 4
ARKB Martin Ratio Rank: 4

BTC-USD

BTC-USD Risk / Return Rank: 36
BTC-USD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
BTC-USD Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
BTC-USD Omega Ratio Rank: 50
BTC-USD Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
BTC-USD Martin Ratio Rank: 1

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

ARKB vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and Bitcoin (BTC-USD). 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.

	ARKB	BTC-USD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.52	-0.44	-0.07
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.50	-0.38	-0.11
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.94	0.96	-0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.43	-1.12	+0.69
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.91	-2.00	+1.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ARKB vs. BTC-USD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ARKB Sharpe Ratio is -0.52, which is comparable to the BTC-USD Sharpe Ratio of -0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ARKB and BTC-USD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ARKB	BTC-USD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.52	-0.44	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.05	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.97	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.34	1.19	-0.84

Correlation

The correlation between ARKB and BTC-USD is 0.73, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Drawdowns

ARKB vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ARKB drawdown since its inception was -49.30%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARKB and BTC-USD.

Drawdown Indicators

	ARKB	BTC-USD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.30%	-85.30%	+36.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.30%	-49.65%	+0.35%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-76.67%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-83.80%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-46.67%	-46.36%	-0.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.21%	-42.00%	+27.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	23.42%	27.91%	-4.49%

Volatility

ARKB vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) is 10.81%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 12.05%. This indicates that ARKB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BTC-USD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ARKB	BTC-USD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.81%	12.05%	-1.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.62%	35.91%	+0.71%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.06%	36.60%	+8.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	50.92%	46.89%	+4.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	50.92%	56.71%	-5.79%