iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures… (VXX) Performance
VXX total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- −29.3% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- −44.1% total return
- 5 years
- −44.2% a year
- Since first price
- −40.6% a year since 2018
VXX trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | VXX total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +7.0% | +7.0% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −16.9% | −16.9% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | −36.5% | −36.5% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | −29.3% | −29.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | −44.1% | −44.1% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | −81.7%−43.2%/yr | −81.7% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | −94.6%−44.2%/yr | −94.6% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionJan 25, 2018 | −98.9%−40.6%/yr | −98.9% | — | — | — |
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: VXX vs SPY
From Jan 25, 2018: VXX grew to $106, SPY to $30,632.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
VXX returns by calendar year
1 of 7 full years positive. Best 2020 (+11.0%), worst 2023 (−72.5%). 2026 is year to date.
VXX annual returns table
| Year | VXX | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | −29.3% | −57.7% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | −42.2% | −69.2% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | −26.2% | −52.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | −72.5% | −72.3% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −23.8% | −51.4% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | −72.4% | −78.0% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +11.0% | −76.0% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | −67.8% | −68.8% | +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.
VXX largest drawdowns
Now 99.6% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 18, 2020 | −99.6% | Oct 13, 2026 | not yet | 6.6 years | 6.6 years so far |
| Feb 8, 2018 | −75.9% | Jan 16, 2020 | Mar 16, 2020 | 1.9 years | 2.1 years |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
VXX risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | −42.6% | −47.6% | −41.9% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 43.4% | 44.6% | 64.6% |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.14 | -1.26 | -0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.31 | -1.39 | -0.90 |
| Best month | +25.6% | +25.6% | +102.8% |
| Worst month | −26.4% | −27.5% | −35.2% |
| Best 12 months | +18.7% | +18.7% | +58.1% |
| Worst 12 months | −56.4% | −73.0% | −79.8% |
| Positive months | 36% | 37% | 35% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | -2.65 | -1.96 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | -0.76 | -0.69 | — |
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.
VXX rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 94 | −79.8% | −41.3% | +58.1% | 15% |
| 3-year (a year) | 70 | −64.5% | −46.9% | −11.7% | 0% |
| 5-year (a year) | 46 | −55.5% | −49.5% | −37.9% | 0% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2018. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
VXX performance overview
iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures… (VXX) returned −44.1% over the past year and −44.2% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2018 it has returned −40.6% a year, turning $10,000 into about $106. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −99.6%, from Mar 18, 2020 to Oct 13, 2026; the fund has not yet regained that high. VXX finished 1 of its 7 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2020 (+11.0%) and the worst 2023 (−72.5%). Volatility has been 64.6% a year.
Related: VXX chart. See the VXX overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
VXX performance FAQ
What is the VXX return over the past year?
VXX returned −44.1% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 44.1%.
What is the average annual return of VXX?
VXX has returned −44.2% a year over 5 years, −40.6% a year since January 25, 2018 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in VXX be worth?
$10,000 invested in VXX at its first recorded close on January 25, 2018 would be worth about $106 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for VXX?
The worst calendar year was 2023, with a total return of −72.5%. The best was 2020 at +11.0%.
What is the biggest drawdown of VXX?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −99.6% between March 18, 2020 and October 13, 2026. It has not yet recovered to that high; it is 99.6% below its peak.
How volatile is VXX?
Over the past 3 years VXX had an annualized volatility of 43.4% and a Sharpe ratio of -1.14 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).