EEM vs. BTC-USD
EEM (iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF) is Emerging Markets Diversified fund tracking the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net), while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, EEM returned 9.91%/yr vs 57.23%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
EEM vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EEM achieves a 24.07% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -26.27% return. Over the past 10 years, EEM has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 9.91%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 57.23% annualized return.
EEM
- 1D
- 0.56%
- 1M
- 0.74%
- YTD
- 24.07%
- 6M
- 26.94%
- 1Y
- 47.57%
- 3Y*
- 21.60%
- 5Y*
- 6.56%
- 10Y*
- 9.91%
BTC-USD
- 1D
- 1.71%
- 1M
- -20.43%
- YTD
- -26.27%
- 6M
- -28.52%
- 1Y
- -39.20%
- 3Y*
- 36.94%
- 5Y*
- 9.74%
- 10Y*
- 57.23%
EEM vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EEM iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 24.07% | 33.98% | 6.49% | 8.95% | -20.56% | -3.63% | 17.02% | 18.22% | -15.31% | 37.26% |
BTC-USD Bitcoin | -26.27% | -6.27% | 120.76% | 155.82% | -64.23% | 59.40% | 304.57% | 94.10% | -73.37% | 1,324.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between EEM and BTC-USD 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 | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 28, 2012 | 0.11 |
Over the past year, EEM and BTC-USD have become more correlated (0.37) than their long-term average of 0.11, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
EEM vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
EEM
BTC-USD
EEM vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) and Bitcoin (BTC-USD). 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.
| EEM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +4.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 0.87 | +0.53 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.36 | -0.77 | +4.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.38 | -1.33 | +13.72 |
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Drawdowns
EEM vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EEM drawdown since its inception was -66.43%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EEM and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EEM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.43% | -85.30% | +18.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.52% | -51.21% | +37.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.29% | -51.21% | +33.92% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.49% | -76.67% | +39.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.82% | -83.80% | +43.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.12% | -48.27% | +44.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.00% | -42.36% | +26.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.67% | 35.16% | -31.49% |
Volatility
EEM vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) is 10.80%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 11.97%. This indicates that EEM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BTC-USD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EEM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.80% | 11.97% | -1.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.39% | 34.64% | -15.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.64% | 35.59% | -13.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.26% | 44.57% | -25.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.64% | 56.61% | -35.97% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EEM and BTC-USD 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 (11.97%) compared to EEM (10.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EEM dropped -66.43% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
EEM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.10 vs -0.92), 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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