LQD vs. BTC-USD
LQD (iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) is Corporate Bonds fund tracking the iBoxx $ Liquid Investment Grade Index, while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, LQD returned 2.53%/yr vs 56.84%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
LQD vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQD achieves a 0.88% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -27.34% return. Over the past 10 years, LQD has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 2.53%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 56.84% annualized return.
LQD
- 1D
- 0.85%
- 1M
- 0.86%
- YTD
- 0.88%
- 6M
- 0.69%
- 1Y
- 5.82%
- 3Y*
- 5.17%
- 5Y*
- -0.20%
- 10Y*
- 2.53%
BTC-USD
- 1D
- 3.47%
- 1M
- -21.00%
- YTD
- -27.34%
- 6M
- -31.30%
- 1Y
- -41.49%
- 3Y*
- 34.89%
- 5Y*
- 12.33%
- 10Y*
- 56.84%
LQD vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQD iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 0.88% | 7.90% | 0.86% | 9.40% | -17.92% | -1.84% | 10.97% | 17.37% | -3.79% | 7.06% |
BTC-USD Bitcoin | -27.34% | -6.27% | 120.76% | 155.82% | -64.23% | 59.40% | 304.57% | 94.10% | -73.37% | 1,324.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQD and BTC-USD 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 (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 26, 2012 | 0.06 |
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Return for Risk
LQD vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
LQD
BTC-USD
LQD vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) 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.
| LQD | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.99 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 0.86 | +0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.75 | -0.81 | +2.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.92 | -1.42 | +6.34 |
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Drawdowns
LQD vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQD drawdown since its inception was -24.95%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQD and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQD | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.95% | -85.30% | +60.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.34% | -51.21% | +47.87% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.43% | -51.21% | +42.78% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.95% | -76.67% | +51.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.95% | -83.80% | +58.85% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.31% | -49.02% | +45.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.99% | -42.34% | +38.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.19% | 34.89% | -33.70% |
Volatility
LQD vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) is 1.77%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 12.11%. This indicates that LQD 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
| LQD | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.77% | 12.11% | -10.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.04% | 34.67% | -30.63% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.38% | 35.64% | -30.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 8.65% | 44.75% | -36.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.69% | 56.63% | -47.94% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LQD and BTC-USD 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.
BTC-USD has higher volatility (12.11%) compared to LQD (1.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQD dropped -24.95% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
LQD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.09 vs -0.97), 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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