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Bitcoin’s Brutal Pullback Has ARKB Investors Searching for Answers

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By Austin Smith Published
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Bitcoin’s Brutal Pullback Has ARKB Investors Searching for Answers

© D-Keine / Getty Images

The ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (CBOE:ARKB) offers investors a straightforward proposition: direct, regulated exposure to Bitcoin’s price with no leverage, no options mechanics, and a competitive 0.21% expense ratio. The problem it solves is access. Before spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024, getting clean Bitcoin exposure inside a brokerage account meant dealing with futures-based products, trusts trading at premiums or discounts, or self-custody. ARKB removed all of that friction.

The fund’s recent performance reflects Bitcoin’s own sharp pullback. ARKB is down 22.6% year-to-date through February 20, nearly mirroring Bitcoin’s own 22.6% YTD decline. That tracking precision is the point of the fund, but it also means investors absorb every downside move without cushion. On Reddit, the mood around Bitcoin-adjacent names has turned decidedly negative. One post titled Gold Spiking vs. BTC tanking captured the sentiment well, with the author writing: “Gold spiking vs. BTC tanking”, a thread that drew 278 upvotes and 570 comments from investors wrestling with the divergence between the two assets.

*$149 for two years (or $1.43 per week) is an introductory promotion for new members only. 62% discount based on the current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew at the then-current list price at the end of the membership term.

Stock Advisor returns are 930% as compared to the S&P 500 returns of 185% as of April 7, 2026.

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Photo of Austin Smith, PhD, MD, CFA
About the Author Austin Smith, PhD, MD, CFA →

Austin Smith is a financial publisher with over two decades of experience as an investor, analyst, and advisor. He covers stocks, ETFs, Artificial intelligence and personal finance for 24/7 Wall St. Previously, he spent over a decade at The Motley Fool as a senior editor for Fool.com, portfolio advisor for Millionacres, and launched The Ascent to help reader take control of their personal finances.

His work has been featured on Fool.com, NPR, CNBC, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, AOL, Marketwatch, and many other publications. He is as an advisor to private companies, and co-hosts The AI Investor Podcast with Eric Bleeker. 

When not looking for investment opportunities, he can be found skiing, running, or playing soccer with his children. Learn more about Austin's investment approach here.

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