VXX vs. BOCT
VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) and BOCT (Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF October) are both exchange-traded funds - VXX is a Volatility fund tracking the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, while BOCT is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the S&P 500 Price Return Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VXX returned -45.73%/yr vs 10.48%/yr for BOCT. At a correlation of -0.74, they often move in opposite directions. VXX charges 0.89%/yr vs 0.79%/yr for BOCT.
Performance
VXX vs. BOCT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VXX achieves a -17.72% return, which is significantly lower than BOCT's 7.70% return.
VXX
- 1D
- 3.08%
- 1M
- -10.00%
- 6M
- -15.71%
- YTD
- -17.72%
- 1Y
- -51.81%
- 3Y*
- -38.94%
- 5Y*
- -45.73%
- 10Y*
- -46.79%
BOCT
- 1D
- -0.43%
- 1M
- 1.27%
- 6M
- 6.34%
- YTD
- 7.70%
- 1Y
- 16.48%
- 3Y*
- 13.19%
- 5Y*
- 10.48%
- 10Y*
- —
VXX vs. BOCT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VXX iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | -17.72% | -42.21% | -26.22% | -72.52% | -23.80% | -72.41% | 11.04% | -67.75% | 75.78% |
BOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF October | 7.70% | 14.34% | 12.36% | 21.13% | -8.14% | 14.97% | 14.69% | 19.05% | -10.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between VXX and BOCT is -0.80, 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 | -0.80 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.77 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.73 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 1, 2018 | -0.74 |
The correlation between VXX and BOCT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from -0.80 to -0.73 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VXX vs. BOCT — Risk / Return Rank
VXX
BOCT
VXX vs. BOCT - 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 Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF October (BOCT). 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 | BOCT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.91 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.84 | 1.38 | -0.54 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.96 | 2.72 | -3.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.55 | 12.80 | -14.35 |
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Drawdowns
VXX vs. BOCT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VXX drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than BOCT's maximum drawdown of -24.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VXX and BOCT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VXX | BOCT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -24.54% | -75.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -53.98% | -6.09% | -47.89% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -80.49% | -13.61% | -66.88% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -96.22% | -14.29% | -81.93% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.82% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -0.43% | -99.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -95.09% | -2.57% | -92.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 33.53% | 1.29% | +32.24% |
Volatility
VXX vs. BOCT - Volatility Comparison
iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) has a higher volatility of 14.39% compared to Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF October (BOCT) at 2.31%. This indicates that VXX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BOCT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VXX | BOCT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 14.39% | 2.31% | +12.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 43.73% | 6.51% | +37.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 56.27% | 8.35% | +47.92% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 67.95% | 11.16% | +56.79% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 70.30% | 13.76% | +56.54% |
VXX vs. BOCT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VXX has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than BOCT's 0.79% expense ratio.
Dividends
VXX vs. BOCT - Dividend Comparison
Neither VXX nor BOCT has paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BOCT Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF October | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.20% |
VXX iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VXX and BOCT have a correlation of -0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VXX has higher volatility (14.39%) compared to BOCT (2.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VXX dropped -100.00% vs BOCT's -24.54%.
On 5-year performance, BOCT leads with 10.48% vs -45.73% for VXX. On fees, BOCT is cheaper at 0.79% per year. On volatility, BOCT has been the lower-risk option at 2.31%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, BOCT has performed better with a 10.48% return vs -45.73%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BOCT is cheaper with a 0.79% expense ratio, compared with 0.89% for VXX.
VXX and BOCT have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
VXX is categorized as Volatility, while BOCT is Defined Outcome. VXX tracks S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, while BOCT tracks S&P 500 Price Return Index. They also come from different issuers: Barclays Capital and Innovator. Their fees differ too: 0.89% for VXX and 0.79% for BOCT.
BOCT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.99 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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