⚖️ IBIT vs ETHA Comparison · Free & No Signup

IBIT vs ETHA: Bitcoin ETF vs Ethereum ETF, Same Fee, Different Bet

Name: IBIT vs ETHA: expense ratio, index, holdings and returns
Creator: ETF BFF
License: https://etfbff.com/about/

IBIT gives you Bitcoin exposure. ETHA gives you Ethereum. Both charge 0.25%. The choice is entirely about which crypto you want to own.

🔬 Compare top 10 holdings → 💡 Plain-English verdict

🤝 BFF Take

IBIT Is Lower-Risk Within Crypto, ETHA Is a Higher-Volatility Ethereum Bet

IBIT (iShares Bitcoin Trust) and ETHA (iShares Ethereum Trust) are BlackRock's spot crypto ETFs, the first regulated, easy-access vehicles for Bitcoin and Ethereum in US brokerage accounts. Both charge 0.25%. IBIT is the larger of the two with $40B+ in AUM, reflecting Bitcoin's status as the dominant crypto asset. ETHA is smaller and tracks Ethereum, which has higher volatility and a more complex utility story: smart contracts, DeFi, staking. For most investors, if you want crypto exposure at all, Bitcoin (IBIT) is the more established starting point. ETHA makes sense for investors who specifically believe in Ethereum's ecosystem vs just crypto-as-digital-gold. Worth knowing in 2026: Ethereum ETFs have started pulling in new money at a pace that has at times outrun Bitcoin ETF inflows — a real shift in sentiment toward ETH. That is a reason to understand ETHA, not a reason to chase it; flows move fast, and neither belongs anywhere near the core of a beginner portfolio.

📋 Quick Takeaways

₿IBIT holds Bitcoin: the dominant, most liquid crypto asset with $1T+ market cap and institutional adoption

🔷ETHA holds Ethereum: higher volatility, smart contract utility, but smaller and more speculative than BTC

💰Both charge 0.25%, so expense ratio is not a differentiator; the asset itself is the entire decision

📊 Data-Based Take: IBIT has the lower fee

Whether the lower-cost fund suits your situation depends on your existing holdings, account type, tax situation, and how you use each fund. This is a cost comparison, not a personalized recommendation.

Both funds trade commission-free at every major brokerage. Where to buy them →

✓ ETF BFF Editorial Team · Data as of Oct 14, 2026 · Educational only, not financial advice

IBIT

iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF

Expense Ratio

0.25%

1-Year Return

-25.8%

AUM

$67.1B

Holdings

ETHA

iShares Ethereum Trust ETF

Expense Ratio

0.25%

1-Year Return

-37.0%

AUM

$9.8B

Holdings

📋 IBIT vs ETHA: Key Facts Side by Side

Metric	IBIT	ETHA
Fund Name	iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF	iShares Ethereum Trust ETF
Issuer	BlackRock	BlackRock
Tracks Index	Bitcoin Spot Price	Ethereum Spot Price
Expense Ratio	0.25%	0.25%
Cost per $10K/yr	$25.00	$25.00
AUM	$67.1B	$9.8B
Holdings	1	1
Inception	2024	2024
1-Year Return	-25.82%	-37.04%
3-Year Return	—	—
5-Year Return	—	—
Holdings Overlap	See holdings overlap →
Avg Bid-Ask Spread	0.01%	0.02%

AUM and returns updated Oct 14, 2026 from ETF BFF database; expense ratios verified against issuer filings. Returns are annualised. Not investment advice.

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📊 IBIT vs ETHA: Annualised Returns

Annualised returns (trailing, price-based). Past performance does not guarantee future results.

🎯 Which Fund Fits Which Investor?

Often fits investors who...

IBIT

want the specific exposure defined by the Bitcoin Spot Price

Often fits investors who...

ETHA

want the specific exposure defined by the Ethereum Spot Price

💰 What the Fee Difference Actually Costs

Adjust the numbers for your situation. This models each fund's expense ratio compounding against your balance over time.

Investment amount$ Years held Expected annual return%

Assumes a constant annual return reinvested, with each fund's expense ratio deducted yearly. Illustrative only; actual returns vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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❓ IBIT vs ETHA: Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy IBIT or ETHA?

IBIT (Bitcoin) is the more established crypto investment: larger market, more institutional adoption, simpler "digital gold" narrative. ETHA (Ethereum) is a bet on Ethereum's smart contract platform: DeFi, NFTs, tokenized assets. If you're new to crypto ETFs, IBIT is the more conventional starting point. ETHA is for investors who specifically believe in Ethereum's technology ecosystem vs just crypto price exposure.

What is the difference between Bitcoin and Ethereum as investments?

Bitcoin is often framed as "digital gold": a store of value, inflation hedge, and monetary asset with a fixed 21M supply. Ethereum is a programmable blockchain: it powers DeFi, NFTs, and smart contracts, and ETH is used as gas to run applications. Bitcoin has higher market cap and liquidity. Ethereum has more utility and development activity but also more competitive threats from other smart contract platforms.

Are IBIT and ETHA safe investments?

Both are regulated US ETFs from BlackRock, so the custody and regulatory structure is sound. However, the underlying assets, Bitcoin and Ethereum, are highly volatile. Both have experienced 60-80% drawdowns in bear markets. They are not appropriate as core holdings for conservative investors. Position size should reflect the speculative nature of crypto assets.

Which crypto ETF has better liquidity, IBIT or ETHA?

IBIT is still substantially more liquid, with $40B+ in AUM versus roughly $9B for ETHA, though ETHA has grown quickly as Ethereum ETF demand picked up in 2026. IBIT trades hundreds of millions of dollars daily and has very tight bid-ask spreads. ETHA is liquid enough for retail investors but has slightly wider spreads. For large institutional positions, IBIT's liquidity advantage matters more.

Are Ethereum ETF inflows beating Bitcoin ETFs in 2026?

At times, yes. During stretches of 2026, spot Ethereum ETFs including ETHA have taken in more net new money than spot Bitcoin ETFs, which have seen periods of net outflows — a notable change from 2024-2025 when Bitcoin ETFs dominated flows. It reflects growing interest in Ethereum's staking and smart-contract story. Flows are a sentiment signal, not a forecast: they can reverse quickly, and a month of strong inflows is not a reason on its own to buy. Both remain volatile, speculative assets that belong at a small position size, if at all.

Can I hold both IBIT and ETHA?

Yes. Some investors hold both to get exposure to the two dominant crypto assets simultaneously. A common split is 70/30 or 60/40 in favor of Bitcoin, reflecting its larger market share. The correlation between BTC and ETH is high (both tend to fall together in risk-off markets), so combining them does not provide much diversification within the crypto allocation. It's more about asset selection than risk reduction.

New to ETF investing? See answers to the most common ETF questions →

📄 IBIT & ETHA Fact Sheets

IBIT Fact Sheet→ ETHA Fact Sheet→

ℹ️ Data shown is for educational purposes and may not reflect the most current figures. Returns are trailing price-based and exclude dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. ETF BFF is not a licensed financial advisor. This is not personalized financial advice.