GDLC vs. BLOX

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC) and Nicholas Crypto Income ETF (BLOX).

GDLC and BLOX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GDLC is a passively managed fund by Grayscale that tracks the performance of the CoinDesk 5 Index. It was launched on Feb 1, 2018. BLOX is an actively managed fund by Nicholas. It was launched on Jun 16, 2025.

Performance

GDLC vs. BLOX - Performance Comparison

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

GDLC vs. BLOX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
GDLC Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF	-24.52%	-6.08%
BLOX Nicholas Crypto Income ETF	-18.83%	9.24%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GDLC achieves a -24.52% return, which is significantly lower than BLOX's -18.83% return.

GDLC

• 1D: 2.20%
• 1M: 3.93%
• YTD: -24.52%
• 6M: -44.20%
• 1Y: -10.19%
• 3Y*: 65.34%
• 5Y*: -3.20%
• 10Y*: —

BLOX

• 1D: 6.06%
• 1M: -10.73%
• YTD: -18.83%
• 6M: -35.97%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

GDLC vs. BLOX - Expense Ratio Comparison

GDLC has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is lower than BLOX's 1.03% expense ratio.

BLOX

Nicholas Crypto Income ETF

GDLC

Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF

Return for Risk

GDLC vs. BLOX — Risk / Return Rank

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

GDLC

GDLC Risk / Return Rank: 10
GDLC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
GDLC Sortino Ratio Rank: 11
GDLC Omega Ratio Rank: 11
GDLC Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
GDLC Martin Ratio Rank: 9

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.

GDLC vs. BLOX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC) and Nicholas Crypto Income ETF (BLOX). 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.

	GDLC	BLOX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.20	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.06	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.19	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.41	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GDLC	BLOX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.20	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.04	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	-0.26	+0.57

Correlation

The correlation between GDLC and BLOX is 0.83, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

GDLC vs. BLOX - Dividend Comparison

GDLC has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BLOX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 42.24%.

	TTM	2025
GDLC Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF	0.00%	0.00%
BLOX Nicholas Crypto Income ETF	42.24%	22.69%

Drawdowns

GDLC vs. BLOX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GDLC drawdown since its inception was -94.14%, which is greater than BLOX's maximum drawdown of -47.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDLC and BLOX.

Drawdown Indicators

	GDLC	BLOX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-94.14%	-47.09%	-47.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-52.91%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-94.14%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-51.45%	-43.89%	-7.56%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-52.90%	-16.56%	-36.34%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	24.86%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	GDLC	BLOX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	13.67%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	40.43%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	50.42%	55.40%	-4.98%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	77.87%	55.40%	+22.47%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	95.02%	55.40%	+39.62%