EFA vs. BTC-USD
EFA (iShares MSCI EAFE ETF) is Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Index (Net), while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, EFA returned 9.84%/yr vs 55.97%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
EFA vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EFA achieves a 9.36% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -25.06% return. Over the past 10 years, EFA has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 9.84%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 55.97% annualized return.
EFA
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- 3.24%
- YTD
- 9.36%
- 6M
- 10.80%
- 1Y
- 21.90%
- 3Y*
- 16.14%
- 5Y*
- 8.36%
- 10Y*
- 9.84%
BTC-USD
- 1D
- 2.42%
- 1M
- -17.06%
- YTD
- -25.06%
- 6M
- -25.64%
- 1Y
- -37.83%
- 3Y*
- 36.87%
- 5Y*
- 10.30%
- 10Y*
- 55.97%
EFA vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 9.36% | 31.55% | 3.49% | 18.36% | -14.39% | 11.45% | 7.60% | 22.04% | -13.82% | 25.07% |
BTC-USD Bitcoin | -25.06% | -6.27% | 120.76% | 155.82% | -64.23% | 59.40% | 304.57% | 94.10% | -73.37% | 1,324.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between EFA and BTC-USD is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2012 | 0.12 |
Over the past year, EFA and BTC-USD have become more correlated (0.34) than their long-term average of 0.12, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
EFA vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
EFA
BTC-USD
EFA vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) 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.
| EFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.19 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.11 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 0.88 | +0.36 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.79 | -0.74 | +2.53 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.67 | -1.28 | +7.95 |
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Drawdowns
EFA vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EFA drawdown since its inception was -61.04%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EFA and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.04% | -85.30% | +24.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.42% | -51.21% | +39.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.05% | -51.21% | +37.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.53% | -76.67% | +47.14% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.19% | -83.80% | +49.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.61% | -47.43% | +46.82% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.92% | -42.37% | +30.45% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.07% | 35.28% | -32.21% |
Volatility
EFA vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is 5.50%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 12.10%. This indicates that EFA 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
| EFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.50% | 12.10% | -6.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.19% | 34.64% | -21.45% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.64% | 35.63% | -19.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.58% | 44.55% | -27.97% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.27% | 56.61% | -39.34% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EFA and BTC-USD have a correlation of 0.34, 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 (12.10%) compared to EFA (5.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EFA dropped -61.04% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
EFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.31 vs -0.88), 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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