ARKK vs VUG: Correlation
ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) show a strong relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.78.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are ARKK and VUG?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of ARKK and VUG correlate at 0.78, strong. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (0.74) sits close to the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.81, with an annualized covariance of 585.6 %².
By 3-year correlation, VUG places #4 of the 122 assets tracked against ARKK. Their 12-month results are close: +15.7% for ARKK against +16.2% for VUG. The rolling one-year correlation moved between 0.64 and 0.89 over the past three years, a moderate range. One caveat on sizing: ARKK is 2.0 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
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 VUG: side by side
| ARKK (ARK Innovation ETF) | VUG (Vanguard Growth ETF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +15.7% | +16.2% |
| 5-year return | -27.7% | +78.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 38.8% | 19.4% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 2.07 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -39.6% | -22.8% |
| Dividend yield | – | 0.40% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.03% |
| Assets under management | – | $372.0B |
| Sector / category | ETF · Thematic | ETF · US Style |
VUG, Vanguard's Large Growth fund, carries $372.0B under management, 146 holdings, a 0.03% expense ratio, a 0.40% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | ARKK | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -67.0% | -33.2% |
| 2023 | +69.0% | +46.8% |
| 2024 | +8.4% | +32.7% |
| 2025 | +35.5% | +19.4% |
| 2026 | +13.6% | +9.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are ARKK and VUG good diversifiers for each other?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.78 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
FAQ
What is the correlation between ARKK and VUG?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between ARKK and VUG is 0.78 over 3 years, 0.74 over 1 year and 0.81 over 5 years.
Is VUG a good diversifier for ARKK?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.78 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
What does a correlation of 0.78 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/arkk-vs-vug.json
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[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/arkk-vs-vug/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: ARKK correlations · VUG correlations
