ARKK vs VTI: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) carry a correlation of 0.79, a strong link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are ARKK and VTI?
On 3 years of weekly data the ARKK/VTI correlation comes out at 0.79, strong. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (0.73) sits close to the 3-year figure. The 5-year figure is 0.79, and annualized covariance runs at 450.2 %².
Few assets follow ARKK as closely as VTI, which ranks #1 of 122 tracked partners. The trailing year gives VTI the advantage: +15.7% versus +20.7%, a 5.0-point spread. The rolling one-year correlation stayed in a tight band between 0.69 and 0.88 over the past three years, which points to a structural rather than episodic relationship. Note the risk asymmetry: ARKK runs 2.7 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
ARKK vs VTI: side by side
| ARKK (ARK Innovation ETF) | VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +15.7% | +20.7% |
| 5-year return | -27.7% | +74.8% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 38.8% | 14.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 2.07 | 1.01 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -39.6% | -19.3% |
| Dividend yield | – | 1.06% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.03% |
| Assets under management | – | $2,290.0B |
| Sector / category | ETF · Thematic | ETF · US Large Cap |
VTI, Vanguard's Large Blend fund, carries $2,290.0B under management, 3140 holdings, a 0.03% expense ratio, a 1.06% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | ARKK | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -67.0% | -19.5% |
| 2023 | +69.0% | +26.0% |
| 2024 | +8.4% | +23.8% |
| 2025 | +35.5% | +17.1% |
| 2026 | +13.6% | +14.2% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are ARKK and VTI good diversifiers for each other?
To a limited degree. At 0.79 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
FAQ
What is the correlation between ARKK and VTI?
The ARKK/VTI correlation stands at 0.79 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.73, 5 years: 0.79), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is VTI a good diversifier for ARKK?
To a limited degree. At 0.79 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
What does a correlation of 0.79 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.79 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
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Hubs: ARKK correlations · VTI correlations