The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.
Both funds are equally priced at 0.25%, so neither stands out in cost. ETHA’s smaller assets under management (AUM) may matter for investors who prioritize scale.
IBIT was launched on Jan. 5, 2024, and only holds Bitcoin. Six months later, BlackRock launched ETHA, which only holds Ether. Both funds offer direct exposure to the crypto market and share high volatility.
Both Bitcoin and Ethereum posted negative returns for the year of 2025, marking the first annual decline since 2022. It was a wake-up call for many investors who thought the returns on Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies would be endless. Although governments and institutional entities continue to invest in the crypto space, it will still experience ups and downs just like the stock market.
Cryptocurrency should also not be viewed as a reliable hedge against the U.S. dollar, despite the impact that tariffs and geopolitical tensions have had on the fiat.
With that being said, investors must be cautious when investing in crypto-holding funds, as even though people may not have to worry about digital wallet hacks, the market is very volatile, and it will directly impact the performance of funds such as IBIT and ETHA.
Throughout the entire existence of both funds, IBIT has increased nearly 40%, while ETHA has fallen 41%, but it’s still too soon to say that IBIT will perform better than ETHA over the long term. For now, though, IBIT shows better promise and holds a cryptocurrency that’s much more included in institutional and government development than Ethereum.
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Adé Hennis has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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