ARKB vs. IBLC

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and iShares Blockchain and Tech ETF (IBLC).

ARKB and IBLC are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. IBLC is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the ICE FactSet Global Blockchain Technologies Index. It was launched on Apr 25, 2022. Both ARKB and IBLC are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

ARKB vs. IBLC - Performance Comparison

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

ARKB vs. IBLC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ARKB ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF	-22.56%	-6.59%	99.47%
IBLC iShares Blockchain and Tech ETF	-10.68%	27.05%	30.53%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ARKB achieves a -22.56% return, which is significantly lower than IBLC's -10.68% return.

ARKB

• 1D: 1.95%
• 1M: 3.26%
• YTD: -22.56%
• 6M: -40.85%
• 1Y: -17.92%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IBLC

• 1D: 6.56%
• 1M: -5.99%
• YTD: -10.68%
• 6M: -29.99%
• 1Y: 57.18%
• 3Y*: 34.97%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ARKB vs. IBLC - Expense Ratio Comparison

ARKB has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is lower than IBLC's 0.47% expense ratio.

IBLC

iShares Blockchain and Tech ETF

ARKB

ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF

Return for Risk

ARKB vs. IBLC — Risk / Return Rank

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

ARKB

ARKB Risk / Return Rank: 6
ARKB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
ARKB Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
ARKB Omega Ratio Rank: 6
ARKB Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
ARKB Martin Ratio Rank: 6

IBLC

IBLC Risk / Return Rank: 51
IBLC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
IBLC Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
IBLC Omega Ratio Rank: 52
IBLC Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
IBLC Martin Ratio Rank: 31

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. IBLC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and iShares Blockchain and Tech ETF (IBLC). 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	IBLC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.40	0.99	-1.38
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.29	1.62	-1.92
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.97	1.19	-0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.39	1.18	-1.57
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.84	2.64	-3.47
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. IBLC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ARKB Sharpe Ratio is -0.40, which is lower than the IBLC Sharpe Ratio of 0.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ARKB and IBLC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ARKB	IBLC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.40	0.99	-1.38
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.23	+0.13

Correlation

The correlation between ARKB and IBLC is 0.70, 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.

Dividends

ARKB vs. IBLC - Dividend Comparison

ARKB has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IBLC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.06%.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
ARKB ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IBLC iShares Blockchain and Tech ETF	7.06%	6.31%	1.60%	1.79%	0.84%

Drawdowns

ARKB vs. IBLC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ARKB drawdown since its inception was -49.30%, smaller than the maximum IBLC drawdown of -62.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARKB and IBLC.

Drawdown Indicators

	ARKB	IBLC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.30%	-62.54%	+13.24%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.30%	-44.94%	-4.36%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-46.07%	-41.28%	-4.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.10%	-26.00%	+11.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	23.05%	20.15%	+2.90%

Volatility

ARKB vs. IBLC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) is 12.98%, while iShares Blockchain and Tech ETF (IBLC) has a volatility of 18.51%. This indicates that ARKB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IBLC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ARKB	IBLC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.98%	18.51%	-5.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.72%	44.23%	-7.51%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.17%	58.34%	-13.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	51.00%	65.16%	-14.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	51.00%	65.16%	-14.16%