VIXY vs. SARK
VIXY (ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF) and SARK (Tradr Short Innovation Daily ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VIXY is a Volatility fund tracking the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, while SARK is a Inverse Equities fund actively managed by AXS. VIXY is passively managed, while SARK is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, VIXY returned -42.73%/yr vs -30.74%/yr for SARK. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VIXY charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for SARK.
Performance
VIXY vs. SARK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VIXY achieves a -8.27% return, which is significantly lower than SARK's -6.78% return.
VIXY
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- -15.15%
- YTD
- -8.27%
- 6M
- -22.71%
- 1Y
- -53.80%
- 3Y*
- -42.73%
- 5Y*
- -46.70%
- 10Y*
- -47.13%
SARK
- 1D
- 2.29%
- 1M
- -0.49%
- YTD
- -6.78%
- 6M
- -2.33%
- 1Y
- -33.81%
- 3Y*
- -30.74%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VIXY vs. SARK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIXY ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | -8.27% | -43.05% | -27.43% | -72.74% | -24.98% | -12.36% |
SARK Tradr Short Innovation Daily ETF | -6.78% | -25.93% | -36.90% | -46.32% | 83.35% | 20.78% |
Correlation
The correlation between VIXY and SARK is 0.57, 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 | 0.57 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 2021 | 0.59 |
The correlation between VIXY and SARK has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.57 to 0.59 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VIXY vs. SARK — Risk / Return Rank
VIXY
SARK
VIXY vs. SARK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) and Tradr Short Innovation Daily ETF (SARK). 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.
| VIXY | SARK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.82 | 0.86 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.95 | -0.83 | -0.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.34 | -1.11 | -0.23 |
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
| VIXY | SARK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.97 | -0.95 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.67 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.65 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.69 | -0.24 | -0.45 |
Drawdowns
VIXY vs. SARK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VIXY drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than SARK's maximum drawdown of -81.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VIXY and SARK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VIXY | SARK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -81.07% | -18.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -56.72% | -40.75% | -15.97% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -81.00% | -74.42% | -6.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -95.92% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.87% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -79.42% | -20.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -92.18% | -46.46% | -45.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 40.22% | 30.47% | +9.75% |
Volatility
VIXY vs. SARK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) is 8.03%, while Tradr Short Innovation Daily ETF (SARK) has a volatility of 9.13%. This indicates that VIXY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SARK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VIXY | SARK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.03% | 9.13% | -1.10% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 41.47% | 25.05% | +16.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 55.89% | 35.91% | +19.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 70.31% | 56.24% | +14.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 72.48% | 56.24% | +16.24% |
VIXY vs. SARK - Expense Ratio Comparison
VIXY has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than SARK's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
VIXY vs. SARK - Dividend Comparison
VIXY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SARK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.02%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SARK Tradr Short Innovation Daily ETF | 3.02% | 2.82% | 15.49% | 12.57% | 25.22% |
VIXY ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VIXY and SARK have a correlation of 0.57, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SARK has higher volatility (9.13%) compared to VIXY (8.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VIXY dropped -100.00% vs SARK's -81.07%.
On 3-year performance, SARK leads with -30.74% vs -42.73% for VIXY. On fees, SARK is cheaper at 0.75% per year. On volatility, VIXY has been the lower-risk option at 8.03%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, SARK has performed better with a -30.74% return vs -42.73%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SARK is cheaper with a 0.75% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for VIXY.
SARK has the higher dividend yield at 3.02%, compared with 0.00% for VIXY.
VIXY is categorized as Volatility, while SARK is Inverse Equities. They also come from different issuers: ProFund Advisors LLC and AXS. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for VIXY and 0.75% for SARK.
SARK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.94 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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