VTI vs. ETHA
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and ETHA (iShares Ethereum Trust ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while ETHA is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CME CF Ether Dollar Reference Rate - New York Variant. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, VTI returned 26.27% vs -34.33% for ETHA. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for ETHA.
Performance
VTI vs. ETHA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 9.62% return, which is significantly higher than ETHA's -43.96% return.
VTI
- 1D
- 0.57%
- 1M
- -0.28%
- YTD
- 9.62%
- 6M
- 9.69%
- 1Y
- 26.27%
- 3Y*
- 20.60%
- 5Y*
- 12.20%
- 10Y*
- 15.02%
ETHA
- 1D
- -1.02%
- 1M
- -27.59%
- YTD
- -43.96%
- 6M
- -45.98%
- 1Y
- -34.33%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VTI vs. ETHA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 9.62% | 17.10% | 6.48% |
ETHA iShares Ethereum Trust ETF | -43.96% | -11.31% | -4.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and ETHA is 0.51, 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 | 0.51 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 23, 2024 | 0.53 |
The correlation between VTI and ETHA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.51 to 0.53 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. ETHA — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
ETHA
VTI vs. ETHA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA). 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.
| VTI | ETHA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.18 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 0.94 | +0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.79 | -0.57 | +3.36 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.52 | -0.98 | +13.50 |
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Drawdowns
VTI vs. ETHA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, smaller than the maximum ETHA drawdown of -67.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and ETHA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | ETHA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -67.56% | +12.11% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -67.56% | +58.64% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.14% | -65.65% | +63.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.02% | -33.25% | +25.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.99% | 39.22% | -37.23% |
Volatility
VTI vs. ETHA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is 4.50%, while iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) has a volatility of 17.30%. This indicates that VTI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ETHA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | ETHA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.50% | 17.30% | -12.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.82% | 46.58% | -36.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.64% | 69.29% | -56.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.47% | 72.65% | -55.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.33% | 72.65% | -54.32% |
VTI vs. ETHA - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than ETHA's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VTI vs. ETHA - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, while ETHA has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ETHA iShares Ethereum Trust ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.03% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and ETHA have a correlation of 0.51, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ETHA has higher volatility (17.30%) compared to VTI (4.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs ETHA's -67.56%.
On 1-year performance, VTI leads with 26.27% vs -34.33% for ETHA. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 4.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, VTI has performed better with a 26.27% return vs -34.33%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for ETHA.
VTI has the higher dividend yield at 1.03%, compared with 0.00% for ETHA.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while ETHA is Cryptocurrency. VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, while ETHA tracks CME CF Ether Dollar Reference Rate - New York Variant. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTI and 0.25% for ETHA.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.97 vs -0.56), 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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