ESPO vs. DARP

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) and Grizzle Growth ETF (DARP).

ESPO and DARP are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ESPO is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the MVIS Global Video Gaming and eSports Index. It was launched on Oct 16, 2018. DARP is an actively managed fund by Grizzle. It was launched on Dec 15, 2021.

Performance

ESPO vs. DARP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) and Grizzle Growth ETF (DARP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ESPO vs. DARP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ESPO VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF	-12.65%	25.79%	47.61%	7.43%
DARP Grizzle Growth ETF	4.29%	40.19%	24.63%	6.25%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ESPO achieves a -12.65% return, which is significantly lower than DARP's 4.29% return.

ESPO

• 1D: 3.58%
• 1M: -3.50%
• YTD: -12.65%
• 6M: -24.42%
• 1Y: 6.19%
• 3Y*: 20.67%
• 5Y*: 6.68%
• 10Y*: —

DARP

• 1D: 3.09%
• 1M: -6.88%
• YTD: 4.29%
• 6M: 13.93%
• 1Y: 64.15%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ESPO vs. DARP - Expense Ratio Comparison

ESPO has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is lower than DARP's 0.75% expense ratio.

DARP

Grizzle Growth ETF

ESPO

VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF

Return for Risk

ESPO vs. DARP — Risk / Return Rank

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

ESPO

ESPO Risk / Return Rank: 19
ESPO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
ESPO Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
ESPO Omega Ratio Rank: 21
ESPO Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
ESPO Martin Ratio Rank: 15

DARP

DARP Risk / Return Rank: 93
DARP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
DARP Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
DARP Omega Ratio Rank: 91
DARP Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
DARP Martin Ratio Rank: 96

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.

ESPO vs. DARP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) and Grizzle Growth ETF (DARP). 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.

	ESPO	DARP	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.29	2.19	-1.90
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.56	2.73	-2.17
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.39	-0.32
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.16	3.97	-3.81
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.39	16.42	-16.03
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ESPO vs. DARP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ESPO Sharpe Ratio is 0.29, which is lower than the DARP Sharpe Ratio of 2.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ESPO and DARP, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ESPO	DARP	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.29	2.19	-1.90
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.27	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.65	1.11	-0.46

Correlation

The correlation between ESPO and DARP is 0.63, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

ESPO vs. DARP - Dividend Comparison

ESPO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.42%, more than DARP's 0.42% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
ESPO VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF	1.42%	1.24%	0.44%	0.96%	0.91%	3.36%	0.12%	0.22%	0.04%
DARP Grizzle Growth ETF	0.42%	0.43%	1.93%	0.32%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

ESPO vs. DARP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ESPO drawdown since its inception was -50.99%, which is greater than DARP's maximum drawdown of -30.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESPO and DARP.

Drawdown Indicators

	ESPO	DARP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-50.99%	-30.27%	-20.72%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-27.81%	-15.92%	-11.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-48.33%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-25.09%	-9.09%	-16.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.80%	-4.84%	-9.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.38%	3.85%	+7.53%

Volatility

ESPO vs. DARP - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) is 8.19%, while Grizzle Growth ETF (DARP) has a volatility of 9.51%. This indicates that ESPO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DARP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ESPO	DARP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.19%	9.51%	-1.32%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.32%	19.28%	-4.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.57%	29.51%	-7.94%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.25%	26.42%	-1.17%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.90%	26.42%	-0.52%