BTZ vs VXZ: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust (BTZ) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN (VXZ) carry a correlation of -0.52, a negative link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BTZ and VXZ?
Over the past 3 years, BTZ and VXZ moved with a correlation of -0.52, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at -0.63 versus -0.52 over 3 years. Over 5 years the correlation is -0.49, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -151.3 %².
Out of 25 assets tracked against BTZ, VXZ lands near the bottom at #25. The last year tells two different stories: BTZ led by 17.7 percentage points, +1.6% for BTZ against -16.1% for VXZ. Risk is not evenly split, since VXZ carries 2.2 times the volatility of the other side.
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.
BTZ vs VXZ: side by side
| BTZ (BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust) | VXZ (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +1.6% | -16.1% |
| 5-year return | +5.4% | -53.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 11.5% | 25.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.44 | -1.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -9.3% | -36.4% |
| Market cap | – | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 9.2 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | – |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | BTZ | VXZ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -27.1% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | +12.8% | -44.0% |
| 2024 | +11.3% | -12.7% |
| 2025 | +13.7% | +5.7% |
| 2026 | +0.1% | -10.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are BTZ and VXZ good diversifiers for each other?
Yes: at -0.52, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BTZ and VXZ?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: -0.52 over 3 years, with -0.63 over the last year and -0.49 over 5 years.
Is VXZ a good diversifier for BTZ?
Yes: at -0.52, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
What does a correlation of -0.52 mean?
A reading of -0.52 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/btz-vs-vxz.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/btz-vs-vxz/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: BTZ correlations · VXZ correlations
