ARKB vs IBIT Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
ARKB and IBIT are both spot Bitcoin ETFs holding Bitcoin directly through Coinbase custody, launched in January 2024 after SEC approval. The primary differences are issuer scale (BlackRock vs ARK/21Shares), resulting in IBIT being dramatically larger and more liquid, and minor expense ratio differences. Both track Bitcoin price with negligible difference in exposure.
ARKB vs IBIT is the Bitcoin ETF brand comparison — ARK Invest's crypto-advocacy retail brand against BlackRock's institutional distribution machine, both providing functionally identical Bitcoin price exposure.
ARKB and IBIT are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. ARKB has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-20.66% vs -20.72% for IBIT).
- Are ARK Invest community investors aligned with Cathie Wood's disruptive technology and crypto investment thesis
- Want Bitcoin ETF exposure from a provider with crypto-native expertise through the 21Shares partnership
- Value ARK's specific Bitcoin research and advocacy perspective alongside the ETF product itself
- Want the highest-liquidity, largest-AUM spot Bitcoin ETF from the world's largest asset manager
- Need institutional-quality Bitcoin ETF for large position sizes where bid-ask spread and market depth matter
- Value BlackRock's institutional credibility and infrastructure for a Bitcoin allocation in a traditional portfolio
| Metric | ARKB | IBIT |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 23.4 | 23.4 |
| Latest closei | $26.54 | $45.33 |
| 1M returni | -6.58% | -6.65% |
| 3M returni | +23.44% | +23.38% |
| 6M returni | -1.81% | -1.86% |
| 1Y returni | -20.66% | -20.72% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | ARKB | IBIT |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $7.93K (-20.7%) started 2025-11-04 | $7.93K (-20.7%) started 2025-11-04 |
| 5Y ago | $17.03K (+70.3%) started 2024-01-11 | $17.02K (+70.2%) started 2024-01-11 |
| 10Y ago | $17.03K (+70.3%) started 2024-01-11 | $17.02K (+70.2%) started 2024-01-11 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | ARKB | IBIT |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.21% | 0.25% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $2.36B | $62.3B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Trailing P/Ei | N/A | N/A |
| Betai | 2.22 | 1.74 |
| 52-week change | -20.66% | -20.72% |
| Metric | ARKB | IBIT |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | -20.66% | -20.72% |
| 6M returni | -1.81% | -1.86% |
| 3M returni | +23.44% | +23.38% |
| 1M returni | -6.58% | -6.65% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | -0.40 | -0.40 |
| Betai | 2.22 | 1.74 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 5Y CAGR | +20.82% | +20.80% |
Over the past year, ARKB and IBIT have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 1.00), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | ARKB | IBIT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -20.66% | -20.72% |
| CAGRi | -20.67% | -20.74% | |
| Volatilityi | 44.26% | 44.47% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.40 | -0.40 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.57 | -0.57 | |
| Max drawdowni | 44.73% | 44.69% | |
| Current drawdowni | 24.62% | 24.69% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 27.50% | 27.55% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 29.33% | 29.38% | |
| Max daily dropi | 13.18% | 13.16% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 24.26% | 24.16% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +70.27% | +70.22% |
| CAGRi | +20.82% | +20.80% | |
| Volatilityi | 48.26% | 48.52% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.54 | 0.54 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.81 | 0.81 | |
| Max drawdowni | 53.33% | 53.30% | |
| Current drawdowni | 36.35% | 36.41% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 20.00% | 20.03% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 25.56% | 25.59% | |
| Max daily dropi | 14.47% | 14.41% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 24.26% | 24.16% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +70.27% | +70.22% |
| CAGRi | +20.82% | +20.80% | |
| Volatilityi | 48.26% | 48.52% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.54 | 0.54 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.81 | 0.81 | |
| Max drawdowni | 53.33% | 53.30% | |
| Current drawdowni | 36.35% | 36.41% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 20.00% | 20.03% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 25.56% | 25.59% | |
| Max daily dropi | 14.47% | 14.41% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 24.26% | 24.16% |
| Category | ARKB | IBIT |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF | iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.21% | 0.25% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $2.36B | $62.3B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
- ARK Invest brand and Cathie Wood's high-profile advocacy for Bitcoin creates a community of retail investors aligned with ARK's crypto thesis
- 21Shares brings European crypto ETP expertise from its established track record in European Bitcoin exchange-traded products
- Coinbase custody provides institutional-grade Bitcoin safekeeping from a regulated U.S. cryptocurrency exchange
- BlackRock's institutional distribution network drove IBIT to become the fastest-growing ETF launch in history by AUM accumulation
- Largest spot Bitcoin ETF — highest liquidity, tightest bid-ask spreads, preferred by institutional investors for large Bitcoin allocations
- BlackRock brand provides credibility with institutional investors who need a trusted counterparty for alternative asset exposure
- ARKB has much smaller AUM and liquidity than IBIT — larger investors may prefer IBIT's tighter bid-ask spreads and greater daily volume
- ARK's higher expense ratio than the largest competitors (though competitive among the initial launching cohort) creates a total cost disadvantage over long holding periods
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs track Bitcoin directly — all performance differences between ARKB and IBIT are driven by expense ratio and tracking difference, not investment strategy
- Bitcoin itself is extremely volatile — IBIT's and ARKB's performance are essentially identical (Bitcoin price minus expense ratio) regardless of issuer
- Expense ratio competition among spot Bitcoin ETFs has been aggressive — investors should verify current rates as issuers have temporarily waived fees to build AUM
- Regulatory uncertainty around cryptocurrency could affect all spot Bitcoin ETF structures regardless of issuer
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