BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

BTEE.L (iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF USD (Dist)) and FBTU.L (First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds. Over the past 5 years, BTEE.L returned 4.70%/yr vs 6.94%/yr for FBTU.L. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. BTEE.L charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for FBTU.L.

Performance

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (BTEE.L) and First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating (FBTU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BTEE.L achieves a 4.58% return, which is significantly lower than FBTU.L's 8.73% return.

BTEE.L

• 1D: 3.30%
• 1M: 1.17%
• YTD: 4.58%
• 6M: 3.18%
• 1Y: 41.45%
• 3Y*: 13.12%
• 5Y*: 4.70%
• 10Y*: —

FBTU.L

• 1D: 4.34%
• 1M: 9.71%
• YTD: 8.73%
• 6M: 6.95%
• 1Y: 38.25%
• 3Y*: 13.28%
• 5Y*: 6.94%
• 10Y*: —

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

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
BTEE.L iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	4.58%	32.82%	-1.69%	5.84%	-11.88%	-0.57%	16.47%
FBTU.L First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating	8.73%	25.95%	4.74%	3.91%	-5.96%	-3.77%	3.88%

Correlation

The correlation between BTEE.L and FBTU.L is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.88
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 1, 2020	0.90

The correlation between BTEE.L and FBTU.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.90 - a consistent structural relationship.

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	BTEE.L	FBTU.L
Healthcare	100.0%	100.0%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

BTEE.L

BTEE.L Risk / Return Rank: 72
BTEE.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
BTEE.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
BTEE.L Omega Ratio Rank: 57
BTEE.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
BTEE.L Martin Ratio Rank: 83

FBTU.L

FBTU.L Risk / Return Rank: 52
FBTU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
FBTU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
FBTU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 49
FBTU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
FBTU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (BTEE.L) and First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating (FBTU.L). 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.

	BTEE.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.10	1.79	+0.32
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.01	2.66	+0.35
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.30	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.41	2.66	+2.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.70	7.17	+9.53
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BTEE.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.10, which is comparable to the FBTU.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.79. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BTEE.L and FBTU.L, 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

	BTEE.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.10	1.79	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22	0.33	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.30	0.27	+0.03

Drawdowns

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BTEE.L drawdown since its inception was -38.29%, which is greater than FBTU.L's maximum drawdown of -33.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BTEE.L and FBTU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	BTEE.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.29%	-33.73%	-4.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.63%	-14.30%	+6.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.82%	-22.47%	-4.35%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-38.29%	-29.97%	-8.32%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.58%	0.00%	-2.58%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.56%	-13.11%	-0.45%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.47%	5.32%	-2.85%

Volatility

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (BTEE.L) is 6.84%, while First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating (FBTU.L) has a volatility of 7.25%. This indicates that BTEE.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FBTU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BTEE.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.84%	7.25%	-0.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.33%	16.34%	-1.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.63%	21.31%	-1.68%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.14%	20.91%	+0.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.50%	21.38%	+1.12%

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

BTEE.L has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than FBTU.L's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

BTEE.L vs. FBTU.L - Dividend Comparison

BTEE.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.36%, while FBTU.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BTEE.L iShares Nasdaq US Biotechnology UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	0.36%	0.37%	0.46%	0.39%	0.44%	0.25%	0.17%	0.14%	0.07%
FBTU.L First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BTEE.L and FBTU.L in my portfolio?

BTEE.L and FBTU.L have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, BTEE.L or FBTU.L?

On fees, BTEE.L is cheaper at 0.35% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, BTEE.L or FBTU.L?

BTEE.L is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for FBTU.L.

What is the main difference between BTEE.L and FBTU.L?

They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for BTEE.L and 0.60% for FBTU.L.