IMST vs. BITO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IMST (Bitwise Funds Trust) and BITO (ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IMST is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Bitwise, while BITO is a Cryptocurrency fund actively managed by ProShares. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, IMST returned -62.31% vs -41.01% for BITO. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IMST charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for BITO.

Performance

IMST vs. BITO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Bitwise Funds Trust (IMST) and ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IMST achieves a -14.98% return, which is significantly higher than BITO's -26.37% return.

IMST

• 1D: -5.79%
• 1M: -25.22%
• YTD: -14.98%
• 6M: -28.07%
• 1Y: -62.31%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BITO

• 1D: -2.94%
• 1M: -18.61%
• YTD: -26.37%
• 6M: -30.81%
• 1Y: -41.01%
• 3Y*: 25.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

IMST vs. BITO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
IMST Bitwise Funds Trust	-14.98%	-44.26%
BITO ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF	-26.37%	3.05%

Correlation

The correlation between IMST and BITO is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 4, 2025	0.81

The correlation between IMST and BITO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

IMST vs. BITO — Risk / Return Rank

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

IMST

IMST Risk / Return Rank: 1
IMST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
IMST Sortino Ratio Rank: 1
IMST Omega Ratio Rank: 1
IMST Calmar Ratio Rank: 1
IMST Martin Ratio Rank: 2

BITO

BITO Risk / Return Rank: 2
BITO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
BITO Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
BITO Omega Ratio Rank: 2
BITO Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
BITO Martin Ratio Rank: 2

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.

IMST vs. BITO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Bitwise Funds Trust (IMST) and ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO). 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.

	IMST	BITO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-1.10	-0.95	-0.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.93	-1.35	-0.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.78	0.85	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.89	-0.82	-0.07
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.35	-1.41	+0.06
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IMST vs. BITO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IMST Sharpe Ratio is -1.10, which is comparable to the BITO Sharpe Ratio of -0.95. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IMST and BITO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IMST	BITO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.10	-0.95	-0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.80	-0.09	-0.71

Drawdowns

IMST vs. BITO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IMST drawdown since its inception was -69.86%, smaller than the maximum BITO drawdown of -77.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IMST and BITO.

Drawdown Indicators

	IMST	BITO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-69.86%	-77.86%	+8.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-69.86%	-50.05%	-19.81%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-50.05%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-66.74%	-49.22%	-17.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-35.27%	-36.73%	+1.46%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	46.22%	29.09%	+17.13%

Volatility

IMST vs. BITO - Volatility Comparison

Bitwise Funds Trust (IMST) has a higher volatility of 14.83% compared to ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) at 9.43%. This indicates that IMST's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BITO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IMST	BITO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.83%	9.43%	+5.40%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	44.06%	34.26%	+9.80%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	56.91%	43.57%	+13.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	59.73%	55.11%	+4.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	59.73%	55.11%	+4.62%

IMST vs. BITO - Expense Ratio Comparison

IMST has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than BITO's 0.95% expense ratio.

Dividends

IMST vs. BITO - Dividend Comparison

IMST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 221.80%, more than BITO's 67.63% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
BITO ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF	67.63%	78.29%	61.59%	15.14%
IMST Bitwise Funds Trust	221.80%	195.93%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IMST and BITO in my portfolio?

IMST and BITO have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IMST or BITO?

IMST has higher volatility (14.83%) compared to BITO (9.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IMST dropped -69.86% vs BITO's -77.86%.

Which ETF is better, IMST or BITO?

On 1-year performance, BITO leads with -41.01% vs -62.31% for IMST. On fees, BITO is cheaper at 0.95% per year. On volatility, BITO has been the lower-risk option at 9.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IMST or BITO?

Over the 1-year period, BITO has performed better with a -41.01% return vs -62.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IMST or BITO?

BITO is cheaper with a 0.95% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for IMST.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IMST or BITO?

IMST has the higher dividend yield at 221.80%, compared with 67.63% for BITO.

What is the main difference between IMST and BITO?

IMST is categorized as Derivative Income, while BITO is Cryptocurrency. They also come from different issuers: Bitwise and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for IMST and 0.95% for BITO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BITO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.94 vs -1.10), 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.