KSA vs. IBIT
KSA (iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF) and IBIT (iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - KSA is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the MSCI Saudi Arabia Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50 Index, while IBIT is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, KSA returned 3.56% vs -38.74% for IBIT. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. KSA charges 0.74%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IBIT.
Performance
KSA vs. IBIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KSA achieves a 4.97% return, which is significantly higher than IBIT's -25.48% return.
KSA
- 1D
- -1.27%
- 1M
- -1.32%
- YTD
- 4.97%
- 6M
- 4.43%
- 1Y
- 3.56%
- 3Y*
- 0.52%
- 5Y*
- 1.95%
- 10Y*
- 7.46%
IBIT
- 1D
- -2.76%
- 1M
- -18.50%
- YTD
- -25.48%
- 6M
- -29.84%
- 1Y
- -38.74%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
KSA vs. IBIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | 4.97% | -8.20% | -0.93% |
IBIT iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | -25.48% | -6.41% | 99.21% |
Correlation
The correlation between KSA and IBIT is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2024 | 0.25 |
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Return for Risk
KSA vs. IBIT — Risk / Return Rank
KSA
IBIT
KSA vs. IBIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) 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.
| KSA | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.70 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 0.86 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.31 | -0.79 | +1.10 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.69 | -1.36 | +2.05 |
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
| KSA | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 | -0.89 | +1.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.30 | 0.30 | +0.01 |
Drawdowns
KSA vs. IBIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KSA drawdown since its inception was -40.56%, smaller than the maximum IBIT drawdown of -49.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KSA and IBIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KSA | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.56% | -49.36% | +8.80% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.62% | -49.36% | +37.74% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.56% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.08% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.56% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.69% | -48.10% | +31.41% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.43% | -16.02% | +4.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.18% | 28.44% | -23.26% |
Volatility
KSA vs. IBIT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) is 3.70%, while iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) has a volatility of 9.50%. This indicates that KSA 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
| KSA | IBIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.70% | 9.50% | -5.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.20% | 34.44% | -22.24% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.68% | 43.73% | -27.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.88% | 50.19% | -34.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.04% | 50.19% | -30.15% |
KSA vs. IBIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
KSA has a 0.74% expense ratio, which is higher than IBIT's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
KSA vs. IBIT - Dividend Comparison
KSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.81%, 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% |
KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | 2.81% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 2.44% | 1.93% | 1.58% | 1.76% | 2.15% | 2.51% | 2.30% | 3.05% | 0.04% |
Frequently Asked Questions
KSA and IBIT have a correlation of 0.26, 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 KSA (3.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KSA dropped -40.56% vs IBIT's -49.36%.
On 1-year performance, KSA leads with 3.56% vs -38.74% for IBIT. On fees, IBIT is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, KSA has been the lower-risk option at 3.70%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, KSA has performed better with a 3.56% return vs -38.74%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IBIT is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.74% for KSA.
KSA has the higher dividend yield at 2.81%, compared with 0.00% for IBIT.
KSA is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while IBIT is Cryptocurrency. KSA tracks MSCI Saudi Arabia Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50 Index, while IBIT tracks CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant. Their fees differ too: 0.74% for KSA and 0.25% for IBIT.
KSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.21 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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