The Crypto ETF Showdown: BITQ's Diversification vs. IBIT's Bitcoin Bet
Yahoo Finance·2026-01-18 16:49

Core Insights - The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) provides direct exposure to Bitcoin with a lower expense ratio and larger assets under management compared to the Bitwise Crypto Industry Innovators ETF (BITQ), which focuses on crypto-related equities and has a more diversified portfolio [2][3] Cost & Size Comparison - IBIT has an expense ratio of 0.25% and assets under management (AUM) of $70.1 billion, while BITQ has an expense ratio of 0.85% and AUM of $400.6 million [4] - The one-year return for IBIT is -5.0%, whereas BITQ has a one-year return of 26.3% [4][5] Performance & Risk Comparison - Over a two-year period, IBIT has a maximum drawdown of -32.73%, while BITQ has a maximum drawdown of -51.22% [6] - The growth of a $1,000 investment over two years is $1,921 for IBIT and $2,023 for BITQ [6] Portfolio Composition - BITQ invests in 33 companies across various sectors, with major holdings including Iren (14.68%), Coinbase Global (8.39%), and Microstrategy (6.80%) [7] - IBIT exclusively holds Bitcoin and cash, resulting in direct price tracking of Bitcoin without equity diversification [8] Liquidity and Trading Considerations - IBIT's larger size and liquidity make it more suitable for larger trades or institutional investors compared to BITQ, which has higher expense ratios and deeper drawdowns [9]