VanEck ETF (DESK) Performance
DESK total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +9.6% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +1.1% total return
- 3 years
- +14.8% a year
- Since first price
- +10.3% a year since 2023
DESK trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | DESK total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +3.1% | +1.8% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −7.5% | −8.6% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +10.9% | +8.6% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +9.6% | +5.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +1.1% | −4.2% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +51.3%+14.8%/yr | +30.6% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionSep 21, 2023 | +35.5%+10.3%/yr | +17.0% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: DESK vs SPY
From Sep 21, 2023: DESK grew to $13,553, SPY to $18,267.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
DESK returns by calendar year
1 of 2 full years positive. Best 2024 (+16.1%), worst 2025 (−10.4%). 2026 is year to date.
DESK annual returns table
| Year | DESK | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +9.6% | −15.9% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | −10.4% | −22.1% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +16.1% | −12.7% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
DESK largest drawdowns
Now 10.2% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 2024 | −28.6% | Mar 27, 2026 | not yet | 1.4 years | 2.0 years so far |
| Dec 14, 2023 | −14.6% | May 29, 2024 | Jul 16, 2024 | 5 months | 7 months |
| Sep 21, 2023 | −11.9% | Oct 25, 2023 | Nov 29, 2023 | 34 days | 2 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
DESK risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +9.7% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 22.9% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.32 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.57 |
| Best month | +17.3% |
| Worst month | −8.9% |
| Best 12 months | +58.2% |
| Worst 12 months | −12.1% |
| Positive months | 50% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.15 |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.63 |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
DESK rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 26 | −12.1% | +5.1% | +58.2% | 65% |
| 3-year (a year) | 2 | +9.7% | +12.2% | +14.8% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
DESK performance overview
VanEck ETF (DESK) returned +1.1% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +10.3% a year, turning $10,000 into about $13,553. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −28.6%, from Oct 18, 2024 to Mar 27, 2026; the fund has not yet regained that high. Volatility has been 22.9% a year.
Related: DESK chart, DESK holdings, DESK dividends, DESK valuation. See the DESK overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
DESK performance FAQ
What is the DESK return over the past year?
DESK returned +1.1% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 4.2%.
How much would $10,000 invested in DESK be worth?
$10,000 invested in DESK at its first recorded close on September 21, 2023 would be worth about $13,553 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for DESK?
The worst calendar year was 2025, with a total return of −10.4%. The best was 2024 at +16.1%.
What is the biggest drawdown of DESK?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −28.6% between October 18, 2024 and March 27, 2026. It has not yet recovered to that high; it is 10.2% below its peak.
How volatile is DESK?
Over the past 3 years DESK had an annualized volatility of 22.9% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.32 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).