XLE vs. ETHA
XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) and ETHA (iShares Ethereum Trust ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector 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, XLE returned 34.84% vs -34.33% for ETHA. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLE charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for ETHA.
Performance
XLE vs. ETHA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLE achieves a 29.56% return, which is significantly higher than ETHA's -43.96% return.
XLE
- 1D
- 0.75%
- 1M
- -0.90%
- YTD
- 29.56%
- 6M
- 28.37%
- 1Y
- 34.84%
- 3Y*
- 16.18%
- 5Y*
- 20.12%
- 10Y*
- 9.91%
ETHA
- 1D
- -1.02%
- 1M
- -27.59%
- YTD
- -43.96%
- 6M
- -45.98%
- 1Y
- -34.33%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
XLE vs. ETHA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 29.56% | 7.88% | -5.12% |
ETHA iShares Ethereum Trust ETF | -43.96% | -11.31% | -4.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLE and ETHA is 0.02, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 23, 2024 | 0.12 |
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Return for Risk
XLE vs. ETHA — Risk / Return Rank
XLE
ETHA
XLE vs. ETHA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) 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.
| XLE | ETHA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.37 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 0.94 | +0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.10 | -0.57 | +3.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.63 | -0.98 | +9.61 |
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Drawdowns
XLE vs. ETHA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLE drawdown since its inception was -71.26%, which is greater than ETHA's maximum drawdown of -67.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLE and ETHA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLE | ETHA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.26% | -67.56% | -3.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.05% | -67.56% | +55.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.14% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.04% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.81% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.01% | -65.65% | +57.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.97% | -33.25% | +15.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.32% | 39.22% | -34.90% |
Volatility
XLE vs. ETHA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) is 7.26%, while iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) has a volatility of 17.30%. This indicates that XLE 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
| XLE | ETHA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.26% | 17.30% | -10.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.79% | 46.58% | -29.79% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.57% | 69.29% | -48.72% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.05% | 72.65% | -46.60% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.58% | 72.65% | -43.07% |
XLE vs. ETHA - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLE has a 0.08% 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
XLE vs. ETHA - Dividend Comparison
XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.59%, 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% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.59% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.55% | 3.68% | 4.21% | 5.62% | 6.72% | 3.54% | 3.03% | 2.26% | 3.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLE and ETHA have a correlation of 0.02, 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 XLE (7.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLE dropped -71.26% vs ETHA's -67.56%.
On 1-year performance, XLE leads with 34.84% vs -34.33% for ETHA. On fees, XLE is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, XLE has been the lower-risk option at 7.26%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, XLE has performed better with a 34.84% return vs -34.33%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLE is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for ETHA.
XLE has the higher dividend yield at 2.59%, compared with 0.00% for ETHA.
XLE is categorized as Energy Equities, while ETHA is Cryptocurrency. XLE tracks Energy Select Sector Index, while ETHA tracks CME CF Ether Dollar Reference Rate - New York Variant. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLE and 0.25% for ETHA.
XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.82 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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