VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) Performance
ESPO total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- −4.4% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- −13.2% total return
- 5 years
- +8.8% a year
- Since first price
- +16.8% a year since 2018
ESPO trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | ESPO total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +1.3% | +1.3% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +11.9% | +11.9% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +8.1% | +8.1% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | −4.4% | −4.4% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | −13.2% | −14.3% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +102.5%+26.5%/yr | +97.2% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +52.5%+8.8%/yr | +42.3% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionOct 17, 2018 | +247.2%+16.8%/yr | +222.8% | — | — | — |
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: ESPO vs SPY
From Oct 17, 2018: ESPO grew to $34,720, SPY to $30,544.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
ESPO returns by calendar year
5 of 7 full years positive. Best 2020 (+83.9%), worst 2022 (−34.7%). 2026 is year to date.
ESPO annual returns table
| Year | ESPO | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | −4.4% | −19.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +25.8% | −17.1% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +47.6% | −11.2% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +33.6% | −16.0% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −34.7% | −42.3% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | −2.1% | −22.7% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +83.9% | −21.8% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +42.3% | −6.3% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
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.
ESPO largest drawdowns
Now 18.0% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 12, 2021 | −51.0% | Oct 14, 2022 | Oct 7, 2024 | 1.7 years | 3.6 years |
| Sep 17, 2025 | −29.4% | Jun 25, 2026 | not yet | 9 months | 1.1 years so far |
| Feb 19, 2020 | −21.8% | Mar 16, 2020 | Apr 16, 2020 | 26 days | 57 days |
| Feb 20, 2025 | −17.1% | Apr 8, 2025 | May 2, 2025 | 47 days | 2 months |
| Oct 17, 2018 | −15.9% | Dec 24, 2018 | Mar 18, 2019 | 2 months | 5 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
ESPO risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +24.3% | +9.7% | +18.1% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.0% | 22.5% | 21.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.07 | 0.37 | 0.77 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.17 | 0.58 | 1.34 |
| Best month | +13.6% | +14.0% | +14.0% |
| Worst month | −6.4% | −14.1% | −14.1% |
| Best 12 months | +64.4% | +64.4% | +89.5% |
| Worst 12 months | −19.4% | −40.2% | −40.2% |
| Positive months | 61% | 53% | 58% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.82 | 0.98 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.57 | 0.68 | — |
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.
ESPO rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 85 | −40.2% | +23.2% | +89.5% | 73% |
| 3-year (a year) | 61 | −6.1% | +14.1% | +45.1% | 82% |
| 5-year (a year) | 37 | +5.8% | +15.5% | +20.2% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2018. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
ESPO performance overview
VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) returned −13.2% over the past year and +8.8% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2018 it has returned +16.8% a year, turning $10,000 into about $34,720. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −51.0%, from Feb 12, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022, and it took 2.0 years to get back to the old high. ESPO finished 5 of its 7 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2020 (+83.9%) and the worst 2022 (−34.7%). Volatility has been 21.1% a year.
Related: ESPO chart, ESPO holdings, ESPO dividends. See the ESPO overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
ESPO performance FAQ
What is the ESPO return over the past year?
ESPO returned −13.2% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 14.3%.
What is the average annual return of ESPO?
ESPO has returned +8.8% a year over 5 years, +16.8% a year since October 17, 2018 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in ESPO be worth?
$10,000 invested in ESPO at its first recorded close on October 17, 2018 would be worth about $34,720 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for ESPO?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −34.7%. The best was 2020 at +83.9%.
What is the biggest drawdown of ESPO?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −51.0% between February 12, 2021 and October 14, 2022. It recovered to the old high on October 7, 2024, 2.0 years after the bottom.
How volatile is ESPO?
Over the past 3 years ESPO had an annualized volatility of 18.0% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.07 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).