VRAI vs. BUXX
VRAI (Virtus Real Asset Income ETF) and BUXX (Strive Enhanced Income Short Maturity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VRAI is a REIT fund tracking the Indxx Real Asset Income Index, while BUXX is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Strive. VRAI is passively managed, while BUXX is actively managed. Over the past year, VRAI returned 28.28% vs 4.35% for BUXX. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VRAI charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.26%/yr for BUXX.
Performance
VRAI vs. BUXX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VRAI achieves a 21.21% return, which is significantly higher than BUXX's 1.61% return.
VRAI
- 1D
- -1.04%
- 1M
- 0.21%
- YTD
- 21.21%
- 6M
- 18.70%
- 1Y
- 28.28%
- 3Y*
- 11.92%
- 5Y*
- 5.42%
- 10Y*
- —
BUXX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 1.61%
- 6M
- 1.99%
- 1Y
- 4.35%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VRAI vs. BUXX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
VRAI Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 21.21% | 6.67% | 2.66% | 4.03% |
BUXX Strive Enhanced Income Short Maturity ETF | 1.61% | 4.84% | 6.18% | 2.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between VRAI and BUXX is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 11, 2023 | 0.04 |
The correlation between VRAI and BUXX shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.04 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VRAI vs. BUXX — Risk / Return Rank
VRAI
BUXX
VRAI vs. BUXX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Real Asset Income ETF (VRAI) and Strive Enhanced Income Short Maturity ETF (BUXX). 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.
| VRAI | BUXX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.87 | -0.45 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.90 | 14.85 | -8.95 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 18.59 | 61.16 | -42.58 |
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
| VRAI | BUXX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.39 | 3.60 | -1.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.33 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.29 | 3.82 | -3.53 |
Drawdowns
VRAI vs. BUXX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VRAI drawdown since its inception was -47.51%, which is greater than BUXX's maximum drawdown of -0.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VRAI and BUXX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VRAI | BUXX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -47.51% | -0.60% | -46.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.82% | -0.29% | -4.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.89% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.71% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.04% | 0.00% | -1.04% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.09% | -0.05% | -10.04% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.53% | 0.07% | +1.46% |
Volatility
VRAI vs. BUXX - Volatility Comparison
Virtus Real Asset Income ETF (VRAI) has a higher volatility of 3.60% compared to Strive Enhanced Income Short Maturity ETF (BUXX) at 0.30%. This indicates that VRAI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BUXX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VRAI | BUXX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.60% | 0.30% | +3.30% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.49% | 0.78% | +7.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.88% | 1.22% | +10.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.65% | 1.46% | +15.19% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.13% | 1.46% | +20.67% |
VRAI vs. BUXX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VRAI has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than BUXX's 0.26% expense ratio.
Dividends
VRAI vs. BUXX - Dividend Comparison
VRAI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.23%, less than BUXX's 4.73% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUXX Strive Enhanced Income Short Maturity ETF | 4.73% | 4.95% | 5.55% | 1.92% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VRAI Virtus Real Asset Income ETF | 3.23% | 4.68% | 7.13% | 5.02% | 4.48% | 3.34% | 3.91% | 2.80% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VRAI and BUXX 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.
VRAI has higher volatility (3.60%) compared to BUXX (0.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VRAI dropped -47.51% vs BUXX's -0.60%.
On 1-year performance, VRAI leads with 28.28% vs 4.35% for BUXX. On fees, BUXX is cheaper at 0.26% per year. On volatility, BUXX has been the lower-risk option at 0.30%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, VRAI has performed better with a 28.28% return vs 4.35%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BUXX is cheaper with a 0.26% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for VRAI.
BUXX has the higher dividend yield at 4.73%, compared with 3.23% for VRAI.
VRAI is categorized as REIT, while BUXX is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: Virtus Investment Partners and Strive. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for VRAI and 0.26% for BUXX.
BUXX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.60 vs 2.39), 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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