SPY vs. ARKK
Compare and contrast key facts about State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK).
SPY and ARKK are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993. ARKK is an actively managed fund by ARK. It was launched on Oct 31, 2014.
Performance
SPY vs. ARKK - Performance Comparison
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SPY vs. ARKK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -3.65% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
ARKK ARK Innovation ETF | -11.08% | 35.49% | 8.40% | 69.04% | -66.97% | -23.60% | 152.71% | 35.08% | 3.52% | 87.33% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPY achieves a -3.65% return, which is significantly higher than ARKK's -11.08% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SPY having a 14.06% annualized return and ARKK not far ahead at 14.48%.
SPY
- 1D
- 0.75%
- 1M
- -4.28%
- YTD
- -3.65%
- 6M
- -1.42%
- 1Y
- 18.14%
- 3Y*
- 18.48%
- 5Y*
- 11.86%
- 10Y*
- 14.06%
ARKK
- 1D
- 1.20%
- 1M
- -7.84%
- YTD
- -11.08%
- 6M
- -21.31%
- 1Y
- 43.10%
- 3Y*
- 19.58%
- 5Y*
- -10.51%
- 10Y*
- 14.48%
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SPY vs. ARKK - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPY has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than ARKK's 0.75% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SPY vs. ARKK — Risk / Return Rank
SPY
ARKK
SPY vs. ARKK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK). 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.
| SPY | ARKK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.96 | 1.02 | -0.06 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.49 | 1.66 | -0.17 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.20 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.53 | 1.40 | +0.14 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.27 | 3.60 | +3.67 |
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
| SPY | ARKK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.96 | 1.02 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 | -0.23 | +0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 0.36 | +0.42 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.56 | 0.32 | +0.24 |
Correlation
The correlation between SPY and ARKK is 0.68, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
SPY vs. ARKK - Dividend Comparison
SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.13%, while ARKK has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.13% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
ARKK ARK Innovation ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.70% | 0.00% | 0.55% | 1.64% | 0.38% | 3.14% | 1.32% | 0.00% | 2.27% |
Drawdowns
SPY vs. ARKK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPY drawdown since its inception was -55.19%, smaller than the maximum ARKK drawdown of -80.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPY and ARKK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPY | ARKK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.19% | -80.97% | +25.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.05% | -31.35% | +19.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.50% | -77.23% | +52.73% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.72% | -80.97% | +47.25% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.53% | -55.71% | +50.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.09% | -29.81% | +20.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.54% | 12.16% | -9.62% |
Volatility
SPY vs. ARKK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is 5.35%, while ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) has a volatility of 12.59%. This indicates that SPY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ARKK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SPY | ARKK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.35% | 12.59% | -7.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.50% | 27.62% | -18.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.06% | 42.55% | -23.49% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.06% | 46.38% | -29.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.92% | 40.11% | -22.19% |