BITB vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BITB (Bitwise Bitcoin ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BITB is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, BITB returned -38.62% vs 27.98% for SPY. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BITB charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

BITB vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BITB achieves a -25.38% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return.

BITB

• 1D: -2.74%
• 1M: -18.38%
• YTD: -25.38%
• 6M: -29.75%
• 1Y: -38.62%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

BITB vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
BITB Bitwise Bitcoin ETF	-25.38%	-6.47%	99.10%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.61%

Correlation

The correlation between BITB and SPY is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.48
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2024	0.40

Return for Risk

BITB vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

BITB

BITB Risk / Return Rank: 2
BITB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
BITB Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
BITB Omega Ratio Rank: 2
BITB Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
BITB Martin Ratio Rank: 2

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.89	2.38	-3.27
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.22	3.24	-4.46
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.86	1.43	-0.57
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.78	3.16	-3.95
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.36	14.72	-16.08
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. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BITB Sharpe Ratio is -0.89, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BITB and SPY, 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

	BITB	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.89	2.38	-3.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.30	0.59	-0.29

Drawdowns

BITB vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BITB drawdown since its inception was -49.38%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BITB and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	BITB	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.38%	-55.19%	+5.81%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.38%	-8.88%	-40.50%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-48.02%	-0.70%	-47.32%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.02%	-9.05%	-6.97%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	28.42%	1.91%	+26.51%

Volatility

BITB vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) has a higher volatility of 9.39% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that BITB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BITB	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.39%	2.84%	+6.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	34.39%	8.90%	+25.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	43.62%	11.83%	+31.79%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	49.98%	17.05%	+32.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	49.98%	17.94%	+32.04%

BITB vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

BITB has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

BITB vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

BITB has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BITB Bitwise Bitcoin ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BITB and SPY in my portfolio?

BITB and SPY have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BITB or SPY?

BITB has higher volatility (9.39%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BITB dropped -49.38% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, BITB or SPY?

On 1-year performance, SPY leads with 27.98% vs -38.62% for BITB. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, BITB or SPY?

Over the 1-year period, SPY has performed better with a 27.98% return vs -38.62%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, BITB or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for BITB.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, BITB or SPY?

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 0.98%, compared with 0.00% for BITB.

What is the main difference between BITB and SPY?

BITB is categorized as Cryptocurrency, while SPY is S&P 500. BITB tracks CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Bitwise Asset Management and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for BITB and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs -0.89), 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.