IWM vs. BTC-USD
IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) is Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index, while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, IWM returned 10.78%/yr vs 59.68%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IWM vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWM achieves a 15.62% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -28.54% return. Over the past 10 years, IWM has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 10.78%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 59.68% annualized return.
IWM
- 1D
- 0.87%
- 1M
- -0.02%
- YTD
- 15.62%
- 6M
- 13.83%
- 1Y
- 35.52%
- 3Y*
- 16.64%
- 5Y*
- 5.48%
- 10Y*
- 10.78%
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%
IWM vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 15.62% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 20.03% | 25.39% | -11.12% | 14.58% |
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 IWM and BTC-USD is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2012 | 0.14 |
Over the past year, IWM and BTC-USD have become more correlated (0.41) than their long-term average of 0.14, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IWM vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
IWM
BTC-USD
IWM vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) 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.
| IWM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.78 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 0.86 | +0.44 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.24 | -0.80 | +4.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.44 | -1.42 | +12.86 |
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
| IWM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.83 | -0.95 | +2.78 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 | 0.20 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 | 0.87 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 1.13 | -0.77 |
Drawdowns
IWM vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWM drawdown since its inception was -59.05%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWM and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.05% | -85.30% | +26.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.03% | -51.21% | +40.18% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.50% | -51.21% | +23.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.91% | -76.67% | +44.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.13% | -83.80% | +42.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.71% | -49.86% | +47.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.76% | -42.32% | +31.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.11% | 34.46% | -31.35% |
Volatility
IWM vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is 6.52%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 11.59%. This indicates that IWM 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
| IWM | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.52% | 11.59% | -5.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.00% | 34.53% | -20.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.53% | 35.67% | -16.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.58% | 44.95% | -22.37% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.07% | 56.71% | -33.64% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWM and BTC-USD have a correlation of 0.41, 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 IWM (6.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWM dropped -59.05% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
IWM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.83 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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