BTC vs. GDLC

Last updated Apr 7, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) and Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC).

BTC and GDLC are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. BTC is an actively managed fund by Grayscale. It was launched on Jul 31, 2024. GDLC is a passively managed fund by Grayscale that tracks the performance of the CoinDesk 5 Index. It was launched on Feb 1, 2018.

Performance

BTC vs. GDLC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) and Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BTC achieves a -20.35% return, which is significantly higher than GDLC's -22.78% return.

BTC

• 1D: 4.05%
• 1M: 2.42%
• YTD: -20.35%
• 6M: -44.48%
• 1Y: -17.09%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

GDLC

• 1D: 3.91%
• 1M: 2.41%
• YTD: -22.78%
• 6M: -48.22%
• 1Y: -8.12%
• 3Y*: 68.50%
• 5Y*: -4.56%
• 10Y*: —

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

BTC vs. GDLC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
BTC Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF	-20.35%	-7.50%	44.64%
GDLC Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF	-22.78%	0.45%	77.33%

Correlation

The correlation between BTC and GDLC is 0.91, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification — they'll tend to fall together during downturns. For meaningful risk reduction, look for holdings with correlations below 0.5.

BTC vs. GDLC - Expense Ratio Comparison

BTC has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than GDLC's 0.59% expense ratio.

GDLC

Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF

BTC

Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF

Return for Risk

BTC vs. GDLC — Risk / Return Rank

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

BTC

BTC Risk / Return Rank: 5
BTC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
BTC Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
BTC Omega Ratio Rank: 6
BTC Calmar Ratio Rank: 4
BTC Martin Ratio Rank: 4

GDLC

GDLC Risk / Return Rank: 8
GDLC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
GDLC Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
GDLC Omega Ratio Rank: 10
GDLC Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
GDLC Martin Ratio Rank: 7

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.

BTC vs. GDLC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) and Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC). 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	GDLC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.38	-0.16	-0.22
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.27	0.12	-0.38
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.97	1.01	-0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.40	-0.22	-0.18
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.85	-0.46	-0.39
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BTC vs. GDLC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BTC Sharpe Ratio is -0.38, which is lower than the GDLC Sharpe Ratio of -0.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BTC and GDLC, 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

	BTC	GDLC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.38	-0.16	-0.22
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	-0.06	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.08	0.32	-0.24

Drawdowns

BTC vs. GDLC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BTC drawdown since its inception was -49.34%, smaller than the maximum GDLC drawdown of -94.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BTC and GDLC.

Drawdown Indicators

	BTC	GDLC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.34%	-94.14%	+44.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.34%	-52.91%	+3.57%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-94.14%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-44.48%	-50.33%	+5.85%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.39%	-52.89%	+38.50%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	23.55%	25.39%	-1.84%

Volatility

BTC vs. GDLC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) is 11.42%, while Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC) has a volatility of 12.19%. This indicates that BTC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GDLC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BTC	GDLC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.42%	12.19%	-0.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.83%	40.40%	-3.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.17%	50.25%	-5.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	49.53%	77.77%	-28.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	49.53%	94.95%	-45.42%

Dividends

BTC vs. GDLC - Dividend Comparison

Neither BTC nor GDLC has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments