
ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF
The ETF.net ARKX Grade
Score 54 out of 100
- 3 of 15
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 100Rank 8 of 15Mission
Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.Risk
How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.B68 out of 100Rank 3 of 14Tradability
How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.A86 out of 100Rank 1 of 15Holdings
How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.C48 out of 100Rank 9 of 14Durability
Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.A83 out of 100Rank 3 of 15
Our read on ARKX
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
Worth knowing
ARKX Performance
Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.
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.
| Period | ARKX |
|---|---|
| Year to date | +2.8% |
| 1 month | −6.6% |
| 3 months | −2.6% |
| 1 year | −5.0% |
| 3 years | +32.2% |
| 5 years | |
| 10 years |
Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.
| Year | Return bar | ARKX |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | +2.8% | |
| 2025 | +48.5% | |
| 2024 | +26.7% | |
| 2023 | +24.4% | |
| 2022 | −34.3% | |
| 2021 | −8.0% |
ARKX in the news
ARKX Dividends
No distributions in the last 12 months.
ARKX Risk
- 29.1%
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.
- 0.96
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.
- −43.5%
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.
- 1.64
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
Cost over time
Year by year
| Year | ARKX | UFOX | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,336 | $545 | $791 |
| 20 | $5,078 | $2,113 | $2,965 |
| 30 | $14,482 | $6,149 | $8,333 |
Full fee 0.76% waiver 0.01% you pay 0.75%
Other funds in Space
- AUFOXDefiance Space and Connective Tech ETFExpense ratio 0.30%1 year return +14.5%
- AROKTState Street SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETFExpense ratio 0.45%1 year return +27.9%
- CORBXGlobal X Space Tech ETFExpense ratio 0.50%1 year return
- CWARPVanEck Space ETFExpense ratio 0.50%1 year return
- CUFOProcure Space ETFExpense ratio 0.75%1 year return +7.1%

