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Launched · SEC filings

ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF

ARKXCboeARKC

$29.58−0.21 (−0.70%)

As of Nov 2, 2026, 3:59 PM ET

C54/ 100

Rank 3 of 15 in Space

Intraday session: down, 79 prints from 29.79 to 29.58. Range 29.46 to 30.38. Use the arrow keys to read each point.30.0030.2030.4010 AM12 PM2 PM4 PM
Expense ratio
0.75%*
Fund size
$737M
1Y total return
−5.0%
Yield · Last 12 months
No data
Holdings
33
Avg volume · 30D
589K sh
52W range
low $25.17high $37.89
Launched
Filings
SEC EDGAR

*After a fee waiver that ends Nov 30, 2026. Without it: 0.76%.

The ETF.net ARKX Grade

Based on 5 of 6 pillars

C

Score 54 out of 100

Category
Space⁠
Rank
3 of 15
Six-pillar profile for ARKX. Scores out of 100: Cost 29, Risk 68, Mission not scored, Tradability 86, Holdings 48, Durability 83. Strongest: Tradability (86). Weakest: Cost (29). Based on 5 of 6 pillars.

Score 54 of 100 falls in the C band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.

  • Cost

    The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.
    D29 out of 100
    Rank 8 of 15
  • Mission

    Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.
    Not scored
  • Risk

    How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.
    B68 out of 100
    Rank 3 of 14
  • Tradability

    How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.
    A86 out of 100
    Rank 1 of 15
  • Holdings

    How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.
    C48 out of 100
    Rank 9 of 14
  • Durability

    Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.
    A83 out of 100
    Rank 3 of 15

Our read on ARKX

ETF.net Research

In short

CARK's only space fund, and one of the rare ones in its niche run by stock pickers instead of an index. Roughly 40 global names spanning rockets, the technology that makes them work, and the companies that quietly cash in.

Stated mandate

The fund seeks long-term capital growth by actively investing mainly in domestic and foreign equity securities of companies involved in space and defense innovation, including aerospace, enabling technologies, and aerospace beneficiaries.

Why people hold it

  • Actively managed rather than index-tracked: ARK's team hand-picks roughly 40 names instead of buying whatever screens as 'space'.ark-funds.com
  • The mandate reaches past rocket builders to enabling technologies and aerospace beneficiaries, companies that profit from orbit without ever leaving the ground.
  • Global by charter, holding both US and foreign shares, so the theme isn't capped at American launch providers and defense primes.
  • Running since 2021 and actively traded at a decent size, which puts it in the upper half of the space-fund group on the practical stuff.

Worth knowing

  • The 0.75% fee sits right at the median for space funds and above index-based rivals such as ROKT (0.45%) and ORBX (0.50%).
  • Roughly 40 holdings plus a human making the calls means single positions and ARK's stock-picking judgment both carry real weight here.
  • The stated goal is long-term capital growth, not income; the fund has not been making regular distributions.

ARKX Performance

Launched Mar 30, 2021

Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.

Not enough history yet.Not enough history yet.
ARKX$9,499
SPY tracks large US stocks. It provides market context, rather than representing this fund’s strategy, asset class or investment benchmark.$11,199
Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. ARKX $9,499. SPY $11,199. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$9,000$10,000$11,000$12,000Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

Returns run to the Oct 30, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.

Trailing total return for ARKX. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
PeriodARKX
Year to date+2.8%
1 month−6.6%
3 months−2.6%
1 year−5.0%
3 yearsper year+32.2%
5 yearsHistory unavailableper yearNo data
10 yearsFund is under 10 years oldper yearNo data

With distributions reinvested.

Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.

Annual total returns for ARKX
YearReturn barARKX
2026 YTD+2.8%
2025+48.5%
2024+26.7%
2023+24.4%
2022−34.3%
2021−8.0%

History from Nov 1, 2021

ARKX in the news

ARKX Dividends

This fund pays no distributions.
No dataLast 12 months
Payout per share
No dataLast 12 months

No distributions in the last 12 months.

ARKX Risk

How much the fund’s monthly returns vary, scaled to a year.
29.1%
Annualised · 36 months to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: standard deviation

The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.

Return above 3-month US Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
0.96
vs 3-month T-bills · to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio

Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.

Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.

The largest fall from a peak to the low that followed.
−43.5%
59 months · trough Oct 2022
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown

The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.

Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.

How strongly the fund’s returns move with its asset-class index.
1.64
vs its asset-class index
How it’s calculated: beta

The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.

FMP measures it over up to five years of monthly returns.

ARKX Cost

Overpaying vs UFOX, cheapest in Space

$8,333

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • ARKX 0.75%

    $14,482

  • UFOX 0.30% Cheapest

    $6,149

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • ARKX 0.75%
  • UFOX 0.30%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$5K$10K$15K051015202530ARKX $14,482UFOX $6,149

Year by year

YearARKXUFOXOverpaying
10$1,336$545$791
20$5,078$2,113$2,965
30$14,482$6,149$8,333
How the 0.75% is worked out

Full fee 0.76%− waiver 0.01%= you pay 0.75%

The waiver ends Nov 30, 2026. After that the fee is 0.76% unless ARK renews it. Source: prospectus, Nov 2025.

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