LIT vs COPX ETF Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
LIT and COPX both represent energy transition metals bets but on different commodities and value chains. LIT covers the lithium battery supply chain (miners, battery makers, EV companies) — more directly tied to EV adoption rates. COPX covers copper miners — with a broader demand base from EVs, grid infrastructure, renewables, and industrial uses. Both are energy transition bets but LIT is more EV-specific while COPX benefits from wider electrification infrastructure demand.
LIT vs COPX — Global X Lithium & Battery ETF (complete lithium-to-battery supply chain covering miners, cell manufacturers, and EV companies as a pure EV adoption and energy storage bet) versus Global X Copper Miners ETF (copper mining companies benefiting from EV, grid infrastructure, and renewable energy copper demand with a structural supply deficit thesis).
COPX holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. COPX has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+67.72% vs +35.82% for LIT).
- believe EV adoption and grid-scale energy storage will drive sustained lithium demand growth despite the 2022-2024 lithium price correction — a buy-the-dip energy transition opportunity
- want complete lithium battery supply chain exposure from mining (Albemarle, SQM) through battery manufacturing (BYD, Panasonic) to EV vehicles in a single ETF
- see lithium price recovery as inevitable when EV demand accelerates again and lithium supply investment (suppressed by the price collapse) creates the next supply shortfall
- are comfortable with 0.75% expense ratio, lithium price volatility creating severe miner drawdowns, and Chinese battery competition compressing margins for non-Chinese battery makers
- believe the copper supply deficit thesis — that global copper supply cannot be expanded fast enough to meet EV, grid, and renewable energy demand growth — creating structural price appreciation for copper miners
- prefer copper's broader demand base vs lithium's EV-concentrated exposure — copper demand from datacenters, industrial production, and grid expansion creates diversified energy transition tailwinds
- see the 10-15 year copper mine development lead time as a structural constraint limiting supply response — making copper's supply deficit more durable than lithium's more responsive supply
- are comfortable with copper's China demand concentration, industrial cyclicality creating boom-bust price cycles, and 0.65% expense ratio for copper mining exposure
| Metric | LIT | COPX |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 54.0 | 85.0 |
| Latest closei | $70.90 | $86.61 |
| 1M returni | -4.22% | +1.22% |
| 6M returni | +3.59% | +20.07% |
| 1Y returni | +35.82% | +67.72% |
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 | LIT | COPX |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $13.68K (+36.8%) started 2025-09-17 | $17.22K (+72.2%) started 2025-09-17 |
| 5Y ago | $9.23K (-7.7%) started 2021-09-17 | $31.33K (+213.3%) started 2021-09-17 |
| 10Y ago | $39.18K (+291.8%) started 2016-09-19 | $81.64K (+716.4%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | LIT | COPX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.75% | 0.65% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $1.64B | $8.44B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.66% | 2.07% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 19.58 | 15.93 |
| Betai | 1.03 | 1.13 |
| 52-week change | 35.82% | 67.72% |
| Metric | LIT | COPX |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +35.82% | +67.72% |
| 6M returni | +3.59% | +20.07% |
| 1M returni | -4.22% | +1.22% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.96 | 1.24 |
| Betai | 1.03 | 1.13 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.66% | 2.07% |
| 5Y CAGR | -2.42% | +22.61% |
Over the past year, LIT and COPX have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.74), 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 | LIT | COPX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +35.82% | +67.72% |
| CAGRi | +35.84% | +67.78% | |
| Volatilityi | 32.84% | 47.54% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.96 | 1.24 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.38 | 1.77 | |
| Max drawdowni | 26.84% | 27.82% | |
| Current drawdowni | 22.28% | 10.20% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 7.45% | 8.71% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 10.87% | 11.48% | |
| Max daily dropi | 8.80% | 10.62% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 10.45% | 16.46% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | -11.52% | +177.02% |
| CAGRi | -2.42% | +22.61% | |
| Volatilityi | 31.76% | 37.45% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.06 | 0.61 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.09 | 0.89 | |
| Max drawdowni | 65.91% | 42.12% | |
| Current drawdowni | 23.24% | 10.20% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 36.24% | 15.16% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 40.01% | 18.05% | |
| Max daily dropi | 8.80% | 10.62% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 17.59% | 20.59% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +235.55% | +558.11% |
| CAGRi | +12.88% | +20.75% | |
| Volatilityi | 30.84% | 36.07% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.40 | 0.58 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.58 | 0.83 | |
| Max drawdowni | 65.91% | 65.41% | |
| Current drawdowni | 23.24% | 10.20% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 26.00% | 17.96% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 31.94% | 21.74% | |
| Max daily dropi | 13.58% | 17.44% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 23.26% | 25.82% |
| Category | LIT | COPX |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF | Global X Copper Miners ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.75% | 0.65% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $1.64B | $8.44B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.66% | 2.07% |
- Complete battery value chain coverage: LIT covers lithium mining, battery cell manufacturing, and EV companies — capturing the entire battery supply chain rather than just mining or just EV manufacturers
- EV adoption secular tailwind: global EV penetration is expected to grow from 20%+ today to 60%+ by 2035 — battery demand growth drives lithium and battery manufacturing demand for LIT's holdings
- Grid storage demand diversification: lithium batteries are needed not just for EVs but for utility-scale grid storage to support renewable energy intermittency — diversifying LIT's demand beyond automotive cycles
- Copper supply deficit thesis: copper supply growth has not kept pace with projected demand from EV production, grid expansion, and renewable energy installation — leading analysts project structural copper supply deficits by 2025-2030
- Multiple demand drivers: copper demand comes from EVs, grid infrastructure, renewable energy, datacenters, and traditional industrial uses — less single-point-of-failure than lithium's EV-concentrated demand
- Mining capex supercycle potential: if copper prices rise significantly from supply deficits, mining capex expansion becomes highly profitable — COPX's miners would generate extraordinary returns from copper price leverage
- Lithium price collapse hurt miners severely: lithium carbonate prices fell 80%+ from peak in 2022-2024 from supply oversupply and EV demand growth slower than expected — LIT's mining holdings suffered severe drawdowns
- Chinese competition in battery manufacturing: BYD and CATL dominate global battery manufacturing at costs that challenge Western battery producers — LIT's non-Chinese battery manufacturers face significant competitive pressure
- High 0.75% expense ratio: among the most expensive thematic ETFs — the energy transition premium is significant vs broad industrial or materials alternatives
- Copper price cyclicality creates boom-bust: copper is a highly cyclical commodity — economic slowdowns reduce industrial demand and copper prices fall significantly, impacting COPX's mining holdings
- China copper demand concentration: China consumes 50%+ of global copper — Chinese economic weakness directly impacts copper prices and COPX performance
- Mine permitting and supply challenges: copper mine development takes 10-15 years from discovery to production — long lead times limit supply response even if copper prices rise significantly
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