GDX vs. HODL
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) and VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL).
GDX and HODL are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GDX is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the NYSE MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index. It was launched on May 16, 2006. HODL is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant. It was launched on Jan 4, 2024. Both GDX and HODL are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
GDX vs. HODL - Performance Comparison
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GDX vs. HODL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 11.94% | 154.77% | 18.75% |
HODL VanEck Bitcoin Trust | -22.04% | -6.42% | 99.75% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GDX achieves a 11.94% return, which is significantly higher than HODL's -22.04% return.
GDX
- 1D
- 4.62%
- 1M
- -16.76%
- YTD
- 11.94%
- 6M
- 25.38%
- 1Y
- 111.15%
- 3Y*
- 45.40%
- 5Y*
- 25.09%
- 10Y*
- 18.07%
HODL
- 1D
- 0.63%
- 1M
- -1.38%
- YTD
- -22.04%
- 6M
- -42.00%
- 1Y
- -19.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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GDX vs. HODL - Expense Ratio Comparison
GDX has a 0.51% expense ratio, which is higher than HODL's 0.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GDX vs. HODL — Risk / Return Rank
GDX
HODL
GDX vs. HODL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) and VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL). 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.
| GDX | HODL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.42 | -0.44 | +2.86 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.60 | -0.37 | +2.97 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 0.96 | +0.42 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.58 | -0.35 | +3.93 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.86 | -0.75 | +13.60 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| GDX | HODL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.42 | -0.44 | +2.86 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.71 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.48 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.14 | 0.37 | -0.22 |
Correlation
The correlation between GDX and HODL is 0.16, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
GDX vs. HODL - Dividend Comparison
GDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.66%, while HODL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 0.66% | 0.74% | 1.19% | 1.61% | 1.66% | 1.67% | 0.53% | 0.67% | 0.50% | 0.76% | 0.26% | 0.85% |
HODL VanEck Bitcoin Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
GDX vs. HODL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GDX drawdown since its inception was -80.34%, which is greater than HODL's maximum drawdown of -49.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDX and HODL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GDX | HODL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -80.34% | -49.25% | -31.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -30.84% | -49.25% | +18.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.51% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -49.79% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.12% | -45.67% | +28.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -40.60% | -14.14% | -26.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.58% | 23.20% | -14.62% |
Volatility
GDX vs. HODL - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) has a higher volatility of 17.26% compared to VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) at 12.99%. This indicates that GDX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HODL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GDX | HODL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 17.26% | 12.99% | +4.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 38.43% | 36.72% | +1.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 46.20% | 45.07% | +1.13% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 35.76% | 50.90% | -15.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 37.46% | 50.90% | -13.44% |