IYW vs. BTC-USD
IYW (iShares U.S. Technology ETF) is Technology Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Technology RIC 22.5/45 Capped Index, while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, IYW returned 25.63%/yr vs 57.32%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IYW vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IYW achieves a 22.66% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -27.32% return. Over the past 10 years, IYW has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 25.63%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 57.32% annualized return.
IYW
- 1D
- 0.61%
- 1M
- 1.73%
- YTD
- 22.66%
- 6M
- 23.40%
- 1Y
- 47.94%
- 3Y*
- 32.06%
- 5Y*
- 21.19%
- 10Y*
- 25.63%
BTC-USD
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- -19.79%
- YTD
- -27.32%
- 6M
- -29.56%
- 1Y
- -39.85%
- 3Y*
- 34.86%
- 5Y*
- 10.27%
- 10Y*
- 57.32%
IYW vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYW iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 22.66% | 25.38% | 30.25% | 65.44% | -34.83% | 35.44% | 47.45% | 46.64% | -0.93% | 36.60% |
BTC-USD Bitcoin | -27.32% | -6.27% | 120.76% | 155.82% | -64.23% | 59.40% | 304.57% | 94.10% | -73.37% | 1,324.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between IYW and BTC-USD is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2012 | 0.13 |
Over the past year, IYW and BTC-USD have become more correlated (0.34) than their long-term average of 0.13, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IYW vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
IYW
BTC-USD
IYW vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IYW | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +4.12 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 0.87 | +0.51 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.70 | -0.78 | +3.48 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.68 | -1.36 | +10.04 |
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Drawdowns
IYW vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IYW drawdown since its inception was -81.90%, roughly equal to the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYW and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IYW | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -81.90% | -85.30% | +3.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.81% | -51.21% | +33.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.47% | -51.21% | +24.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.44% | -76.67% | +37.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.44% | -83.80% | +44.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.81% | -49.01% | +43.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.62% | -42.35% | +7.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.54% | 35.02% | -29.48% |
Volatility
IYW vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW) is 9.41%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 12.11%. This indicates that IYW 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
| IYW | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.41% | 12.11% | -2.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.67% | 34.59% | -16.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.47% | 35.62% | -14.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.07% | 44.71% | -18.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.20% | 56.62% | -31.42% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IYW and BTC-USD have a correlation of 0.34, 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 (12.11%) compared to IYW (9.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYW dropped -81.90% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
IYW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.24 vs -0.93), 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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