IEFA vs. BTC-USD
IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) is Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net), while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, IEFA returned 9.37%/yr vs 59.68%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IEFA vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEFA achieves a 7.49% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -28.54% return. Over the past 10 years, IEFA has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 9.37%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 59.68% annualized return.
IEFA
- 1D
- 0.63%
- 1M
- -1.17%
- YTD
- 7.49%
- 6M
- 10.04%
- 1Y
- 19.61%
- 3Y*
- 16.13%
- 5Y*
- 7.82%
- 10Y*
- 9.37%
BTC-USD
- 1D
- -1.22%
- 1M
- -22.47%
- YTD
- -28.54%
- 6M
- -31.02%
- 1Y
- -40.89%
- 3Y*
- 33.16%
- 5Y*
- 10.82%
- 10Y*
- 59.68%
IEFA vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 7.49% | 32.08% | 3.26% | 17.95% | -15.24% | 11.63% | 8.18% | 22.64% | -14.14% | 26.57% |
BTC-USD Bitcoin | -28.54% | -6.27% | 120.76% | 155.82% | -64.23% | 59.40% | 304.57% | 94.10% | -73.37% | 1,324.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEFA and BTC-USD is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
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 Oct 25, 2012 | 0.11 |
Over the past year, IEFA and BTC-USD have become more correlated (0.33) than their long-term average of 0.11, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IEFA vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
IEFA
BTC-USD
IEFA vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) 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.
| IEFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.25 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 0.86 | +0.38 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.71 | -0.80 | +2.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.52 | -1.42 | +7.93 |
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
| IEFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.30 | -0.95 | +2.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 0.20 | +0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | 0.87 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 1.13 | -0.63 |
Drawdowns
IEFA vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEFA drawdown since its inception was -34.78%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEFA and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IEFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.78% | -85.30% | +50.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.50% | -51.21% | +39.71% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.76% | -51.21% | +37.45% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.41% | -76.67% | +46.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.78% | -83.80% | +49.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.44% | -49.86% | +47.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.69% | -42.32% | +35.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.02% | 34.46% | -31.44% |
Volatility
IEFA vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) is 4.54%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 11.59%. This indicates that IEFA 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
| IEFA | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.54% | 11.59% | -7.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.74% | 34.53% | -21.79% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.22% | 35.67% | -20.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.55% | 44.95% | -28.40% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.32% | 56.71% | -39.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEFA and BTC-USD have a correlation of 0.33, 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 (11.59%) compared to IEFA (4.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEFA dropped -34.78% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
IEFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.30 vs -0.95), 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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