BDCX vs. ARCC

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

BDCX (ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5X Leveraged MVIS BDC Index ETN) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the MVIS US Business Development Companies (150%), while ARCC (Ares Capital Corporation) is a stock. Over the past 5 years, BDCX returned 1.20%/yr vs 8.23%/yr for ARCC. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure.

Performance

BDCX vs. ARCC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5X Leveraged MVIS BDC Index ETN (BDCX) and Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BDCX achieves a -14.17% return, which is significantly lower than ARCC's -7.09% return.

BDCX

• 1D: -1.41%
• 1M: -1.87%
• YTD: -14.17%
• 6M: -13.63%
• 1Y: -19.48%
• 3Y*: 3.12%
• 5Y*: 1.20%
• 10Y*: —

ARCC

• 1D: -1.05%
• 1M: -1.58%
• YTD: -7.09%
• 6M: -5.60%
• 1Y: -8.51%
• 3Y*: 9.49%
• 5Y*: 8.23%
• 10Y*: 12.43%

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

BDCX vs. ARCC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
BDCX ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5X Leveraged MVIS BDC Index ETN	-14.17%	-10.42%	15.32%	35.33%	-17.67%	52.70%	25.40%
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation	-7.09%	1.07%	19.78%	20.03%	-3.84%	36.14%	18.41%

Correlation

The correlation between BDCX and ARCC is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.84
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 3, 2020	0.83

The correlation between BDCX and ARCC has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BDCX vs. ARCC — Risk / Return Rank

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

BDCX

BDCX Risk / Return Rank: 4
BDCX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3
BDCX Sortino Ratio Rank: 3
BDCX Omega Ratio Rank: 4
BDCX Calmar Ratio Rank: 3
BDCX Martin Ratio Rank: 4

ARCC

ARCC Risk / Return Rank: 23
ARCC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 22
ARCC Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
ARCC Omega Ratio Rank: 20
ARCC Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
ARCC Martin Ratio Rank: 27

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.

BDCX vs. ARCC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5X Leveraged MVIS BDC Index ETN (BDCX) and Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	BDCX	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.70	-0.46	-0.25
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.91	-0.52	-0.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.90	0.94	-0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.64	-0.44	-0.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.09	-0.79	-0.30

BDCX vs. ARCC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BDCX Sharpe Ratio is -0.70, which is lower than the ARCC Sharpe Ratio of -0.46. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BDCX and ARCC, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BDCX vs. ARCC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BDCX drawdown since its inception was -34.96%, smaller than the maximum ARCC drawdown of -79.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BDCX and ARCC.

Drawdown Indicators

	BDCX	ARCC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.96%	-79.36%	+44.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.46%	-19.35%	-11.11%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-33.39%	-19.35%	-14.04%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.96%	-21.76%	-13.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-56.77%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-30.24%	-15.44%	-14.80%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.20%	-9.11%	-1.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	17.97%	10.85%	+7.12%

Volatility

BDCX vs. ARCC - Volatility Comparison

ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5X Leveraged MVIS BDC Index ETN (BDCX) has a higher volatility of 8.37% compared to Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) at 4.64%. This indicates that BDCX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ARCC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BDCX	ARCC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.37%	4.64%	+3.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.09%	15.11%	+7.98%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	27.79%	18.68%	+9.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.58%	19.95%	+6.63%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.91%	25.60%	+1.31%

Dividends

BDCX vs. ARCC - Dividend Comparison

BDCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 20.85%, more than ARCC's 10.76% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation	10.76%	9.49%	8.77%	9.59%	10.12%	7.65%	9.47%	9.01%	9.88%	9.67%	9.22%	11.02%
BDCX ETRACS Quarterly Pay 1.5X Leveraged MVIS BDC Index ETN	20.85%	19.17%	15.28%	14.71%	17.47%	11.52%	6.32%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BDCX and ARCC in my portfolio?

BDCX and ARCC have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BDCX or ARCC?

BDCX has higher volatility (8.37%) compared to ARCC (4.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BDCX dropped -34.96% vs ARCC's -79.36%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ARCC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.46 vs -0.70), 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.