BITB vs. BTC-USD

Last updated Apr 3, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and Bitcoin (BTC-USD).

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

Performance

BITB vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison

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

BITB vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
BITB Bitwise Bitcoin ETF	-23.49%	-6.47%	99.10%
BTC-USD Bitcoin	-23.70%	-6.27%	101.44%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with BITB having a -23.49% return and BTC-USD slightly lower at -23.70%.

BITB

• 1D: -1.68%
• 1M: -1.81%
• YTD: -23.49%
• 6M: -44.70%
• 1Y: -23.11%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BTC-USD

• 1D: -1.99%
• 1M: -2.31%
• YTD: -23.70%
• 6M: -44.66%
• 1Y: -19.07%
• 3Y*: 33.89%
• 5Y*: 3.18%
• 10Y*: 66.03%

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

Return for Risk

BITB vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank

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

BITB

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

BTC-USD

BTC-USD Risk / Return Rank: 39
BTC-USD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
BTC-USD Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
BTC-USD Omega Ratio Rank: 59
BTC-USD Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
BTC-USD Martin Ratio Rank: 0

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) 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.

	BITB	BTC-USD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.51	-0.43	-0.08
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.49	-0.36	-0.13
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.94	0.96	-0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.43	-1.14	+0.70
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.91	-2.03	+1.12
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BITB vs. BTC-USD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BITB Sharpe Ratio is -0.51, which is comparable to the BTC-USD Sharpe Ratio of -0.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BITB and BTC-USD, 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

	BITB	BTC-USD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.51	-0.43	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.06	—
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	1.18	-0.84

Correlation

The correlation between BITB 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

BITB vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BITB drawdown since its inception was -49.38%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BITB and BTC-USD.

Drawdown Indicators

	BITB	BTC-USD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.38%	-85.30%	+35.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.38%	-49.65%	+0.27%
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	-46.70%	-46.47%	-0.23%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.25%	-42.00%	+27.75%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	23.43%	27.75%	-4.32%

Volatility

BITB vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) is 10.82%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 13.70%. This indicates that BITB 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

	BITB	BTC-USD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.82%	13.70%	-2.88%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.71%	35.96%	+0.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.18%	36.69%	+8.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	50.97%	46.91%	+4.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	50.97%	56.71%	-5.74%