PHYS vs. BTC-USD
PHYS (Sprott Physical Gold Trust) is a stock, while BTC-USD (Bitcoin) is a cryptocurrency. Over the past 10 years, PHYS returned 11.42%/yr vs 57.32%/yr for BTC-USD. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PHYS vs. BTC-USD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PHYS achieves a -3.85% return, which is significantly higher than BTC-USD's -27.32% return. Over the past 10 years, PHYS has underperformed BTC-USD with an annualized return of 11.42%, while BTC-USD has yielded a comparatively higher 57.32% annualized return.
PHYS
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -10.61%
- YTD
- -3.85%
- 6M
- -3.47%
- 1Y
- 22.63%
- 3Y*
- 28.00%
- 5Y*
- 16.26%
- 10Y*
- 11.42%
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%
PHYS vs. BTC-USD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PHYS Sprott Physical Gold Trust | -3.85% | 63.95% | 26.43% | 12.98% | -1.81% | -4.84% | 23.89% | 18.14% | -2.64% | 12.78% |
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 PHYS and BTC-USD is 0.16, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2012 | 0.07 |
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Return for Risk
PHYS vs. BTC-USD — Risk / Return Rank
PHYS
BTC-USD
PHYS vs. BTC-USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS) 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.
| PHYS | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.74 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 0.87 | +0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.92 | -0.78 | +1.69 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.64 | -1.36 | +4.00 |
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Drawdowns
PHYS vs. BTC-USD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PHYS drawdown since its inception was -48.16%, smaller than the maximum BTC-USD drawdown of -85.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PHYS and BTC-USD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PHYS | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -48.16% | -85.30% | +37.14% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.80% | -51.21% | +26.41% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.80% | -51.21% | +26.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.80% | -76.67% | +51.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.80% | -83.80% | +59.00% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.43% | -49.01% | +26.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.99% | -42.35% | +21.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.60% | 35.02% | -26.42% |
Volatility
PHYS vs. BTC-USD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS) is 7.80%, while Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has a volatility of 12.11%. This indicates that PHYS 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
| PHYS | BTC-USD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.80% | 12.11% | -4.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.75% | 34.59% | -9.84% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.17% | 35.62% | -7.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.53% | 44.71% | -26.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.41% | 56.62% | -40.21% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PHYS and BTC-USD have a correlation of 0.16, 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 PHYS (7.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PHYS dropped -48.16% vs BTC-USD's -85.30%.
PHYS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.81 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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