For investors seeking streamlined exposure to major cryptocurrencies within traditional brokerage accounts, the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund and the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF present viable options. These funds cater to high-risk tolerance profiles by focusing exclusively on one digital asset each, offering targeted participation in Bitcoin and Ether, the leading cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Both ETFs maintain identical annual expense ratios of 0.25%, ensuring cost considerations do not differentiate them. Furthermore, they do not distribute dividends, eliminating yield as a factor in investor return expectations. Instead, returns are directly linked to the price movements of the underlying digital currencies.
Comparative Performance and Risk Dynamics
Over a five-year observation window, notable discrepancies arise in the funds’ volatility and returns. The Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund has experienced a maximum drawdown of 32.64%, whereas the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF's maximum drawdown reached a substantially higher 64.02% in the same period. Correspondingly, if an investor allocated $1,000 to each fund five years ago, the Bitcoin fund's value would approximately have grown to $1,804, while the Ethereum trust's equivalent holding would presently value at around $800.
One-year total returns as of December 18, 2025, further highlight this disparity. The Bitcoin fund recorded a loss of 16.1%, contrasted with the Ethereum trust's steeper decline of 24.9%. These figures are consistent with the respective beta values of each fund relative to the S&P 500, with the Ethereum ETF demonstrating higher price volatility, reflecting its underlying asset's characteristic market behavior.
Fund Composition and Structural Overview
The iShares Ethereum Trust ETF is concentrated almost entirely in Ether, dedicating 100% of its portfolio to this cryptocurrency, with only a negligible cash balance held. Classified solely within the financial services sector, this ETF is relatively nascent, with approximately a year and a half since inception, and reports assets under management of $10.0 billion.
Conversely, the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund predominantly invests in Bitcoin, accounting for 99.98% of its holdings, with minimal allocation to other assets. Although the fund does not provide a sector breakdown, its exclusivity in Bitcoin investment ensures its price movements closely mirror those of Bitcoin itself. Both funds operate without employing leverage, currency hedging, or other complex structural strategies.
Investor Considerations and Market Context
Cryptocurrency ETFs offer a means for everyday investors to gain entry into digital assets without engaging directly with crypto exchanges or wallet management. This indirect exposure can be particularly appealing given recent failures of large cryptocurrency platforms, which have heightened risk awareness among retail investors.
The Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund bases its valuation on the Fidelity Bitcoin Reference Rate, whereas the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF tracks the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate, ensuring transparent and standardized price measurement aligned with major crypto benchmarks.
Despite mitigating the operational complexities of owning cryptocurrencies, these ETFs do not eliminate exposure to the pronounced volatility characteristic of the crypto market. The iShares Ethereum Trust ETF recently recorded a decline of 39.5% from its peak in August, following an even sharper drop exceeding 50% from its high reached in late 2024. In contrast, the Fidelity Bitcoin Fund displayed less severe price swings, falling 30.3% from its most recent peak. Notably, this Bitcoin fund has undergone three separate episodes with losses exceeding 25% since its launch in early 2024, underscoring the inherent risk profile even within the more established cryptocurrency.
Glossary for Key Terms
- ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): A fund traded on stock exchanges holding securities or assets such as stocks, bonds, or commodities.
- Expense Ratio: The proportion of fund assets charged yearly for management and operational costs.
- Drawdown: The percentage decline in fund value from its peak to the lowest trough during a specific timeframe.
- Beta: A metric indicating volatility of an investment relative to the overall market, typically the S&P 500 index.
- Assets Under Management (AUM): The total market value of assets managed by a fund on investors’ behalf.
- Max Drawdown: The largest observed loss from a peak to trough within the fund’s history.
- Growth of $1,000: The ending value of a $1,000 investment over a determined period, illustrating cumulative return.
- Pure Play: An investment exclusively focused on a single asset, sector, or market segment.
- Leverage: Utilization of borrowed funds to amplify investment exposure and potential returns.
- Currency Hedging: Strategies deployed to protect against currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting returns.
- Dividend: Distributions paid to shareholders from profits or earnings.
Investors considering these funds should weigh their appetite for risk in relation to the substantial price volatility exhibited by cryptocurrencies. While ETFs provide a more accessible vehicle for crypto participation, the magnitude of drawdowns and the lack of income generation through dividends underscore the importance of informed, cautious engagement.