SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

SHLD.L (iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist) and BLOK.L (First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process UCITS ETF) are both Technology Equities funds - SHLD.L tracks the iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist while BLOK.L tracks the MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SHLD.L returned 9.32%/yr vs 11.78%/yr for BLOK.L. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SHLD.L charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for BLOK.L.

Performance

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist (SHLD.L) and First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process UCITS ETF (BLOK.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

SHLD.L is traded in USD, while BLOK.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the BLOK.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SHLD.L achieves a 17.77% return, which is significantly higher than BLOK.L's 9.97% return.

SHLD.L

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: 3.71%
• 6M: 17.56%
• YTD: 17.77%
• 1Y: 25.07%
• 3Y*: 19.63%
• 5Y*: 9.32%
• 10Y*: —

BLOK.L

• 1D: 0.67%
• 1M: -2.25%
• 6M: 7.07%
• YTD: 9.97%
• 1Y: 23.84%
• 3Y*: 20.92%
• 5Y*: 11.78%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
SHLD.L iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist	17.77%	11.51%	16.55%	33.91%	-29.11%	16.50%	27.22%	28.27%	-1.78%
BLOK.L First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process UCITS ETF	9.97%	31.58%	16.58%	20.82%	-18.71%	18.00%	18.57%	27.51%	-4.41%

Correlation

The correlation between SHLD.L and BLOK.L is 0.61, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.61
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2018	0.74

The correlation between SHLD.L and BLOK.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.61 (1 year) to 0.74 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SHLD.L

SHLD.L Risk / Return Rank: 42
SHLD.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
SHLD.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
SHLD.L Omega Ratio Rank: 37
SHLD.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
SHLD.L Martin Ratio Rank: 38

BLOK.L

BLOK.L Risk / Return Rank: 66
BLOK.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
BLOK.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
BLOK.L Omega Ratio Rank: 63
BLOK.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
BLOK.L Martin Ratio Rank: 67

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist (SHLD.L) and First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process UCITS ETF (BLOK.L). 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.

	SHLD.L	BLOK.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.18	1.65	-0.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.74	2.30	-0.55
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.29	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.23	2.41	-0.18
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.84	8.06	-3.22

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SHLD.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.18, which is comparable to the BLOK.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.65. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SHLD.L and BLOK.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SHLD.L drawdown since its inception was -36.07%, smaller than the maximum BLOK.L drawdown of -44.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SHLD.L and BLOK.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	SHLD.L	BLOK.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.07%	-44.30%	+8.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.40%	-9.86%	-1.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.72%	-19.23%	-3.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.07%	-32.06%	-4.01%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.38%	-3.40%	-0.98%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.27%	-13.62%	+4.35%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.27%	2.95%	+2.32%

Volatility

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist (SHLD.L) has a higher volatility of 7.42% compared to First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process UCITS ETF (BLOK.L) at 3.93%. This indicates that SHLD.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BLOK.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SHLD.L	BLOK.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.42%	3.93%	+3.49%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.10%	11.26%	+6.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.64%	14.39%	+7.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.39%	21.50%	-0.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.23%	23.46%	-2.23%

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

SHLD.L has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is lower than BLOK.L's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

SHLD.L vs. BLOK.L - Dividend Comparison

SHLD.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.35%, while BLOK.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
BLOK.L First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SHLD.L iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist	0.35%	0.39%	0.48%	0.43%	0.63%	0.66%	0.84%	1.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SHLD.L and BLOK.L in my portfolio?

SHLD.L and BLOK.L have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, SHLD.L or BLOK.L?

On fees, SHLD.L is cheaper at 0.40% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, SHLD.L or BLOK.L?

SHLD.L is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for BLOK.L.

What is the main difference between SHLD.L and BLOK.L?

SHLD.L tracks iShares Digital Security UCITS ETF USD Dist, while BLOK.L tracks MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for SHLD.L and 0.65% for BLOK.L.