BLCN vs. MARB
BLCN (Siren ETF Trust Siren Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF) and MARB (First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BLCN is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Siren NASDAQ Blockchain Economy Index, while MARB is a Long-Short fund actively managed by First Trust. BLCN is passively managed, while MARB is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, BLCN returned -9.28%/yr vs 2.75%/yr for MARB. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BLCN charges 0.68%/yr vs 2.30%/yr for MARB.
Performance
BLCN vs. MARB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BLCN achieves a 12.69% return, which is significantly higher than MARB's 0.82% return.
BLCN
- 1D
- 1.09%
- 1M
- 9.96%
- YTD
- 12.69%
- 6M
- 9.05%
- 1Y
- 25.80%
- 3Y*
- 9.95%
- 5Y*
- -9.28%
- 10Y*
- —
MARB
- 1D
- -0.33%
- 1M
- -0.36%
- YTD
- 0.82%
- 6M
- 1.04%
- 1Y
- 5.67%
- 3Y*
- 4.04%
- 5Y*
- 2.75%
- 10Y*
- —
BLCN vs. MARB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLCN Siren ETF Trust Siren Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF | 12.69% | -3.69% | 5.62% | 21.09% | -51.76% | 4.86% | 54.91% |
MARB First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF | 0.82% | 7.02% | 0.73% | 2.16% | 3.89% | 0.26% | -2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between BLCN and MARB is -0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 5, 2020 | 0.14 |
The correlation between BLCN and MARB shifts across timeframes, from -0.08 (1 year) to 0.14 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BLCN vs. MARB — Risk / Return Rank
BLCN
MARB
BLCN vs. MARB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Siren ETF Trust Siren Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF (BLCN) and First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB). 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.
| BLCN | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.37 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.46 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.30 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.88 | 2.35 | -1.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.85 | 19.40 | -17.54 |
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Drawdowns
BLCN vs. MARB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BLCN drawdown since its inception was -67.51%, which is greater than MARB's maximum drawdown of -11.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BLCN and MARB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BLCN | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.51% | -11.99% | -55.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -29.53% | -2.43% | -27.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.26% | -3.67% | -41.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -67.51% | -3.67% | -63.84% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -45.31% | -0.60% | -44.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -30.37% | -1.39% | -28.98% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.96% | 0.29% | +13.67% |
Volatility
BLCN vs. MARB - Volatility Comparison
Siren ETF Trust Siren Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF (BLCN) has a higher volatility of 13.86% compared to First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB) at 0.56%. This indicates that BLCN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MARB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BLCN | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.86% | 0.56% | +13.30% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.35% | 2.17% | +25.18% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.78% | 5.29% | +31.49% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 35.18% | 4.26% | +30.92% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.30% | 5.58% | +25.72% |
BLCN vs. MARB - Expense Ratio Comparison
BLCN has a 0.68% expense ratio, which is lower than MARB's 2.30% expense ratio.
Dividends
BLCN vs. MARB - Dividend Comparison
BLCN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.67%, less than MARB's 2.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLCN Siren ETF Trust Siren Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF | 2.67% | 3.01% | 0.67% | 0.54% | 1.28% | 0.56% | 0.58% | 1.45% | 1.16% |
MARB First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF | 2.99% | 3.01% | 2.11% | 2.20% | 0.99% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BLCN and MARB have a correlation of -0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BLCN has higher volatility (13.86%) compared to MARB (0.56%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BLCN dropped -67.51% vs MARB's -11.99%.
On 5-year performance, MARB leads with 2.75% vs -9.28% for BLCN. On fees, BLCN is cheaper at 0.68% per year. On volatility, MARB has been the lower-risk option at 0.56%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, MARB has performed better with a 2.75% return vs -9.28%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BLCN is cheaper with a 0.68% expense ratio, compared with 2.30% for MARB.
MARB has the higher dividend yield at 2.99%, compared with 2.67% for BLCN.
BLCN is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while MARB is Long-Short. They also come from different issuers: SRN Advisors and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.68% for BLCN and 2.30% for MARB.
MARB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.08 vs 0.71), 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.
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