BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC
BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency, while ^GSPC (S&P 500 Index) is an index. Over the past 10 years, BTC-USD returned 59.68%/yr vs 13.45%/yr for ^GSPC. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BTC-USD achieves a -28.54% return, which is significantly lower than ^GSPC's 8.18% return. Over the past 10 years, BTC-USD has outperformed ^GSPC with an annualized return of 59.68%, while ^GSPC has yielded a comparatively lower 13.45% annualized return.
BTC-USD
- 1D
- -1.22%
- 1M
- -22.47%
- YTD
- -28.54%
- 6M
- -31.02%
- 1Y
- -40.89%
- 3Y*
- 33.16%
- 5Y*
- 10.82%
- 10Y*
- 59.68%
^GSPC
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- 0.09%
- YTD
- 8.18%
- 6M
- 8.17%
- 1Y
- 23.42%
- 3Y*
- 19.88%
- 5Y*
- 11.91%
- 10Y*
- 13.45%
BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BTC-USD Bitcoin | -28.54% | -6.27% | 120.76% | 155.82% | -64.23% | 59.40% | 304.57% | 94.10% | -73.37% | 1,324.24% |
^GSPC S&P 500 Index | 8.18% | 16.39% | 23.31% | 24.23% | -19.44% | 26.89% | 16.26% | 28.88% | -6.24% | 19.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between BTC-USD and ^GSPC is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 23, 2012 | 0.13 |
Over the past year, BTC-USD and ^GSPC have become more correlated (0.37) than their long-term average of 0.13, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank
BTC-USD
^GSPC
BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Bitcoin (BTC-USD) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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.
| BTC-USD | ^GSPC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.89 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.98 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.86 | 1.35 | -0.49 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.80 | 2.59 | -3.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.42 | 11.84 | -13.26 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BTC-USD | ^GSPC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.95 | 1.94 | -2.89 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 | 0.71 | -0.51 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.87 | 0.75 | +0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.13 | 0.47 | +0.66 |
Drawdowns
BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BTC-USD drawdown since its inception was -85.30%, which is greater than ^GSPC's maximum drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BTC-USD and ^GSPC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BTC-USD | ^GSPC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -85.30% | -56.78% | -28.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -51.21% | -9.10% | -42.11% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -51.21% | -18.90% | -32.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -76.67% | -25.43% | -51.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -83.80% | -33.92% | -49.88% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -49.86% | -2.68% | -47.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -42.32% | -10.72% | -31.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 34.46% | 1.98% | +32.48% |
Volatility
BTC-USD vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison
Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a higher volatility of 11.59% compared to S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) at 3.80%. This indicates that BTC-USD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^GSPC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BTC-USD | ^GSPC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.59% | 3.80% | +7.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 34.53% | 9.41% | +25.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 35.67% | 12.17% | +23.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 44.95% | 16.94% | +28.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 56.71% | 18.09% | +38.62% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BTC-USD and ^GSPC have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BTC-USD has higher volatility (11.59%) compared to ^GSPC (3.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BTC-USD dropped -85.30% vs ^GSPC's -56.78%.
^GSPC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.94 vs -0.95), 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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