ISTB vs. IBIT
ISTB (iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF) and IBIT (iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ISTB is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD), while IBIT is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, ISTB returned 4.19% vs -38.74% for IBIT. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ISTB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IBIT.
Performance
ISTB vs. IBIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ISTB achieves a 0.49% return, which is significantly higher than IBIT's -25.48% return.
ISTB
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- 0.15%
- YTD
- 0.49%
- 6M
- 0.71%
- 1Y
- 4.19%
- 3Y*
- 4.95%
- 5Y*
- 1.85%
- 10Y*
- 2.27%
IBIT
- 1D
- -2.76%
- 1M
- -18.50%
- YTD
- -25.48%
- 6M
- -29.84%
- 1Y
- -38.74%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ISTB vs. IBIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 0.49% | 6.36% | 4.29% |
IBIT iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | -25.48% | -6.41% | 99.21% |
Correlation
The correlation between ISTB and IBIT is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2024 | 0.04 |
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Return for Risk
ISTB vs. IBIT — Risk / Return Rank
ISTB
IBIT
ISTB vs. IBIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) and iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT). 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.
| ISTB | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.26 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +4.92 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.46 | 0.86 | +0.60 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.34 | -0.79 | +4.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.72 | -1.36 | +14.08 |
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
| ISTB | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.37 | -0.89 | +3.26 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.91 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.84 | 0.30 | +0.54 |
Drawdowns
ISTB vs. IBIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ISTB drawdown since its inception was -9.34%, smaller than the maximum IBIT drawdown of -49.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ISTB and IBIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ISTB | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.34% | -49.36% | +40.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.26% | -49.36% | +48.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.36% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.34% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.34% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.42% | -48.10% | +47.68% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.22% | -16.02% | +14.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.33% | 28.44% | -28.11% |
Volatility
ISTB vs. IBIT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF (ISTB) is 0.54%, while iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) has a volatility of 9.50%. This indicates that ISTB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IBIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ISTB | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.54% | 9.50% | -8.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.28% | 34.44% | -33.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.77% | 43.73% | -41.96% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.79% | 50.19% | -47.40% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.51% | 50.19% | -47.68% |
ISTB vs. IBIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
ISTB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than IBIT's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
ISTB vs. IBIT - Dividend Comparison
ISTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.25%, while IBIT has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBIT iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ISTB iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF | 4.25% | 4.12% | 3.83% | 2.97% | 2.01% | 1.69% | 2.20% | 2.75% | 2.57% | 2.06% | 1.90% | 1.58% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ISTB and IBIT have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IBIT has higher volatility (9.50%) compared to ISTB (0.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ISTB dropped -9.34% vs IBIT's -49.36%.
On 1-year performance, ISTB leads with 4.19% vs -38.74% for IBIT. On fees, ISTB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, ISTB has been the lower-risk option at 0.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, ISTB has performed better with a 4.19% return vs -38.74%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ISTB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IBIT.
ISTB has the higher dividend yield at 4.25%, compared with 0.00% for IBIT.
ISTB is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while IBIT is Cryptocurrency. ISTB tracks BBG US Universal 1-5 Year Index (USD), while IBIT tracks CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for ISTB and 0.25% for IBIT.
ISTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs -0.89), 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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