BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

BIGT.L (L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF) and BTEK.L (iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds tracking the NASDAQ Biotechnology TR USD, from Legal & General and iShares respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BIGT.L returned 2.49%/yr vs 5.85%/yr for BTEK.L. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. BIGT.L charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for BTEK.L.

Performance

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF (BIGT.L) and iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF (BTEK.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

BIGT.L is traded in GBp, while BTEK.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the BTEK.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BIGT.L achieves a -0.70% return, which is significantly lower than BTEK.L's 4.86% return.

BIGT.L

• 1D: 2.65%
• 1M: -4.10%
• YTD: -0.70%
• 6M: -3.42%
• 1Y: 26.08%
• 3Y*: 2.96%
• 5Y*: 2.49%
• 10Y*: —

BTEK.L

• 1D: 3.56%
• 1M: 2.25%
• YTD: 4.86%
• 6M: 2.70%
• 1Y: 43.15%
• 3Y*: 10.19%
• 5Y*: 5.85%
• 10Y*: —

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

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BIGT.L L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF	-0.70%	27.03%	-3.16%	-14.88%	2.68%	-2.30%	23.89%	9.47%	-1.85%
BTEK.L iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF	4.86%	23.81%	-0.32%	0.33%	-1.55%	0.90%	23.11%	21.63%	-8.49%

Correlation

The correlation between BIGT.L and BTEK.L 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	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 26, 2018	0.83

The correlation between BIGT.L and BTEK.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	BIGT.L	BTEK.L
Healthcare	97.3%	100.0%
Basic Materials	2.7%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

BIGT.L

BIGT.L Risk / Return Rank: 43
BIGT.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
BIGT.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
BIGT.L Omega Ratio Rank: 37
BIGT.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
BIGT.L Martin Ratio Rank: 45

BTEK.L

BTEK.L Risk / Return Rank: 76
BTEK.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
BTEK.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
BTEK.L Omega Ratio Rank: 63
BTEK.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
BTEK.L Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF (BIGT.L) and iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF (BTEK.L). 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.

	BIGT.L	BTEK.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.39	2.24	-0.85
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.04	3.13	-1.09
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.38	-0.14
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.57	6.23	-3.66
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.42	17.55	-10.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BIGT.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.39, which is lower than the BTEK.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BIGT.L and BTEK.L, 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

	BIGT.L	BTEK.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.39	2.24	-0.85
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.15	0.29	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.31	-0.09

Drawdowns

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BIGT.L drawdown since its inception was -30.23%, roughly equal to the maximum BTEK.L drawdown of -30.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BIGT.L and BTEK.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	BIGT.L	BTEK.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.23%	-30.86%	+0.63%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.93%	-6.89%	-3.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.09%	-26.34%	+3.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.23%	-30.86%	+0.63%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.41%	-1.86%	-3.55%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.57%	-10.04%	-0.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.45%	2.45%	+1.00%

Volatility

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for L&G Pharma Breakthrough UCITS ETF (BIGT.L) is 6.35%, while iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF (BTEK.L) has a volatility of 6.91%. This indicates that BIGT.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BTEK.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BIGT.L	BTEK.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.35%	6.91%	-0.56%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.10%	14.67%	-0.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.38%	19.14%	-0.76%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.86%	20.08%	-3.22%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.38%	21.71%	-3.33%

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

BIGT.L has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than BTEK.L's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

BIGT.L vs. BTEK.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither BIGT.L nor BTEK.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BIGT.L and BTEK.L in my portfolio?

BIGT.L and BTEK.L 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 ETF is better, BIGT.L or BTEK.L?

On fees, BTEK.L is cheaper at 0.35% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, BIGT.L or BTEK.L?

BTEK.L is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for BIGT.L.

What is the main difference between BIGT.L and BTEK.L?

Both ETFs track NASDAQ Biotechnology TR USD. They also come from different issuers: Legal & General and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for BIGT.L and 0.35% for BTEK.L.