VXX vs. BABA
VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) is Volatility fund tracking the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, while BABA (Alibaba Group Holding Limited) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, VXX returned -46.65%/yr vs 4.02%/yr for BABA. At a correlation of -0.39, they often move in opposite directions.
Performance
VXX vs. BABA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VXX having a -19.27% return and BABA slightly higher at -18.78%. Over the past 10 years, VXX has underperformed BABA with an annualized return of -46.65%, while BABA has yielded a comparatively higher 4.02% annualized return.
VXX
- 1D
- -3.39%
- 1M
- -6.27%
- 6M
- -27.26%
- YTD
- -19.27%
- 1Y
- -52.36%
- 3Y*
- -39.14%
- 5Y*
- -46.50%
- 10Y*
- -46.65%
- ALL TIME*
- -51.48%
BABA
- 1D
- -1.97%
- 1M
- 10.15%
- 6M
- -26.69%
- YTD
- -18.78%
- 1Y
- -1.01%
- 3Y*
- 10.80%
- 5Y*
- -10.15%
- 10Y*
- 4.02%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.58%
VXX vs. BABA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VXX iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | -19.27% | -42.21% | -26.22% | -72.52% | -23.80% | -72.41% | 11.04% | -67.75% | 67.91% | -72.64% |
BABA Alibaba Group Holding Limited | -18.78% | 75.80% | 11.77% | -10.83% | -25.84% | -48.96% | 9.73% | 54.74% | -20.51% | 96.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between VXX and BABA is -0.28, 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 | -0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 19, 2014 | -0.39 |
The correlation between VXX and BABA shifts across timeframes, from -0.39 (all time) to -0.28 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VXX vs. BABA — Risk / Return Rank
VXX
BABA
VXX vs. BABA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) and Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA). 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.
| VXX | BABA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.90 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.80 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.84 | 1.03 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.96 | -0.02 | -0.94 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.52 | -0.04 | -1.48 |
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Drawdowns
VXX vs. BABA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VXX drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than BABA's maximum drawdown of -80.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VXX and BABA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VXX | BABA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -80.09% | -19.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -54.59% | -49.47% | -5.12% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -80.75% | -49.47% | -31.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -95.85% | -69.42% | -26.43% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.82% | -80.09% | -19.73% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -60.47% | -39.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -95.10% | -37.78% | -57.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 34.50% | 23.84% | +10.66% |
Volatility
VXX vs. BABA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) is 12.47%, while Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) has a volatility of 15.00%. This indicates that VXX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BABA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VXX | BABA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.47% | 15.00% | -2.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 44.07% | 29.31% | +14.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 56.60% | 44.80% | +11.80% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 67.53% | 51.74% | +15.79% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 70.33% | 43.62% | +26.71% |
Dividends
VXX vs. BABA - Dividend Comparison
VXX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BABA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BABA Alibaba Group Holding Limited | 0.89% | 1.36% | 1.96% | 1.29% |
VXX iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VXX and BABA have a correlation of -0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BABA has higher volatility (15.00%) compared to VXX (12.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VXX dropped -100.00% vs BABA's -80.09%.
BABA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.02 vs -0.93), 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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