iShares Bitcoin Trust vs iShares Ethereum Trust ETF Comparison

According to Yahoo Finance, the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF and the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF both offer single-cryptocurrency exposure at the same expense ratio, yet ETHA has delivered stronger returns recently while holding a smaller asset base and exposing investors to deeper drawdowns.

Both funds are single-asset exchange-traded products from the same issuer, designed to provide direct exposure to either Bitcoin or Ether. The comparison focuses on cost, performance, risk, and portfolio characteristics to help investors assess which fund may align with their strategy.

In terms of cost and size, both ETFs charge an expense ratio of 0.25%, making expenses a neutral factor. IBIT has assets under management of $63.7 billion, while ETHA holds $7.6 billion. Over the trailing 12 months through April 22, 2026, IBIT posted a negative one-year return of 14.1%, whereas ETHA returned positive 40.7%. Neither fund offers a dividend yield.

Regarding performance and risk, the maximum drawdown over one year for IBIT was 49.36%, while ETHA experienced a steeper decline of 64.02%. A hypothetical $1,000 investment in IBIT over the past year would have grown to $859; the corresponding figure for ETHA was not provided.

Both ETFs hold only their respective cryptocurrency plus cash equivalents, with no other assets or structural complexities. IBIT is substantially larger and has attracted more institutional interest. ETHA launched in mid-2024, so its track record is shorter, which may affect risk assessment tools that rely on longer data histories.

The recent performance gap between the two funds reflects the divergent price movements of Bitcoin and Ether, not any difference in fund quality or construction. ETHA's higher recent return comes with a more volatile ride, as shown by its larger drawdown. The difference in assets under management is another data point for investors to consider rather than a value judgment.