CRF vs VXX: Correlation
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (The) (CRF) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) show a negative relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is -0.47.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are CRF and VXX?
On 3 years of weekly data the CRF/VXX correlation comes out at -0.47, negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of -0.50 lands near the 3-year figure. The 5-year figure is -0.38, and annualized covariance runs at -611.6 %².
VXX is close to the least connected end of CRF's tracked universe, ranking #11 of 12. The last year tells two different stories: CRF led by 48.0 percentage points, -1.7% for CRF against -49.7% for VXX. Note the risk asymmetry: VXX runs 2.8 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.
CRF vs VXX: side by side
| CRF (Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (The)) | VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -1.7% | -49.7% |
| 5-year return | +29.2% | -95.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 21.5% | 60.9% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.91 | -3.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -29.6% | -83.3% |
| Market cap | $1.1B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 6.3 | – |
| Dividend yield | 21.80% | 0.00% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | CRF | VXX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -36.7% | -23.8% |
| 2023 | +19.4% | -72.5% |
| 2024 | +44.5% | -26.2% |
| 2025 | +12.5% | -42.2% |
| 2026 | -9.2% | -31.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are CRF and VXX good diversifiers for each other?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.47, CRF and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
FAQ
What is the correlation between CRF and VXX?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: -0.47 over 3 years, with -0.50 over the last year and -0.38 over 5 years.
Is VXX a good diversifier for CRF?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.47, CRF and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
What does a correlation of -0.47 mean?
A reading of -0.47 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/crf-vs-vxx.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/crf-vs-vxx/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: CRF correlations · VXX correlations