HODL vs. BLOX

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) and Nicholas Crypto Income ETF (BLOX).

HODL and BLOX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. BLOX is an actively managed fund by Nicholas. It was launched on Jun 16, 2025.

Performance

HODL vs. BLOX - Performance Comparison

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

HODL vs. BLOX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
HODL VanEck Bitcoin Trust	-22.04%	-16.54%
BLOX Nicholas Crypto Income ETF	-18.45%	9.24%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HODL achieves a -22.04% return, which is significantly lower than BLOX's -18.45% return.

HODL

• 1D: 0.63%
• 1M: -1.38%
• YTD: -22.04%
• 6M: -42.00%
• 1Y: -19.80%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BLOX

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: -12.15%
• YTD: -18.45%
• 6M: -37.07%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

HODL vs. BLOX - Expense Ratio Comparison

HODL has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than BLOX's 1.03% expense ratio.

BLOX

Nicholas Crypto Income ETF

HODL

VanEck Bitcoin Trust

Return for Risk

HODL vs. BLOX — Risk / Return Rank

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

HODL

HODL Risk / Return Rank: 6
HODL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
HODL Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
HODL Omega Ratio Rank: 6
HODL Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
HODL Martin Ratio Rank: 6

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.

HODL vs. BLOX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) 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.

	HODL	BLOX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.44	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.37	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.96	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.35	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.75	—	—
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

	HODL	BLOX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.44	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.37	-0.25	+0.61

Correlation

The correlation between HODL and BLOX is 0.82, 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

HODL vs. BLOX - Dividend Comparison

HODL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BLOX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 42.04%.

	TTM	2025
HODL VanEck Bitcoin Trust	0.00%	0.00%
BLOX Nicholas Crypto Income ETF	42.04%	22.69%

Drawdowns

HODL vs. BLOX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HODL drawdown since its inception was -49.25%, roughly equal to the maximum BLOX drawdown of -47.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HODL and BLOX.

Drawdown Indicators

	HODL	BLOX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.25%	-47.09%	-2.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.25%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-45.67%	-43.63%	-2.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.14%	-16.70%	+2.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	23.20%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	HODL	BLOX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.99%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.72%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.07%	55.26%	-10.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	50.90%	55.26%	-4.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	50.90%	55.26%	-4.36%