Cite This Comparison
"Bitcoin vs Marathon Digital (BTC vs MARA): Returns, Risk & Volatility (2021)." Gale Finance, December 31, 2021. https://www.gale.finance/compare/btc-vs-mara-2021 Free to use with attribution. Please link back to this page or gale.finance.
Analysis period: 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31
Relative Performance of BTC vs MARA (Normalized to 100)
Normalized to 100 at start date for comparison
Key Takeaways
- Total Return: BTC delivered a +44.8% total return, while MARA returned +198.5% over the same period. MARA outperformed on total returns.
- Risk-Adjusted Return (Sharpe Ratio): MARA had a higher Sharpe (1.43 vs 0.81), indicating better risk-adjusted performance.
- Volatility (Annualized): MARA was more volatile, with 138.5% annualized volatility, versus 80.3% for BTC.
- Maximum Drawdown: BTC's maximum drawdown was -53.1%, while MARA experienced a deeper drawdown of -65.2%.
Bitcoin vs Marathon Digital Correlation
Bitcoin and Marathon Digital were strongly correlated in 2021. With a correlation of 0.61, these assets tended to move together, limiting diversification benefits.
For portfolio construction, this strong correlation means holding both BTC and MARA provides limited risk reduction — they're likely to decline together in downturns.
| Metric | Metric | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Current (30-day) | 0.70 | |
| Average (full period) | 0.61 | |
| Minimum | 0.37 | |
| Maximum | 0.84 |
Correlation measures how closely two assets move together. Values near +1 indicate strong co-movement, near 0 indicates independence, and negative values indicate inverse movement.
Investment Comparison
If you invested $10,000 in each asset on January 1, 2021:
Difference: $15,362.118 (MARA ahead)
Trade BTC or MARA
Access these assets on trusted platforms.
Bitcoin and Marathon Digital: Risk Analysis
Bitcoin experienced its maximum drawdown of -53.1% from 2021-04-13 to 2021-07-20. It has not yet recovered to its previous peak.
Marathon Digital experienced its maximum drawdown of -65.2% from 2021-04-05 to 2021-05-13. It has not yet recovered to its previous peak.
Smaller drawdowns and faster recoveries indicate lower downside risk and greater resilience during market stress.
Sharpe Ratio of BTC and MARA
Sharpe ratio measures return per unit of risk (volatility). A higher Sharpe indicates better risk-adjusted performance. MARA had a higher Sharpe (1.43 vs 0.81), indicating better risk-adjusted performance.
A Sharpe above 1.0 is generally considered good, above 2.0 is excellent. Negative Sharpe means the asset underperformed the risk-free rate. Calculated on each asset's full 365-day lookback of available prices and annualized using the asset calendar (365 for crypto, 252 trading days for equities/ETFs/metals).
Sortino Ratio of BTC and MARA
Sortino ratio measures return per unit of downside risk. Unlike Sharpe, it only penalizes negative volatility. MARA had better downside-adjusted returns.
A higher Sortino is better. It's particularly useful for assets with asymmetric volatility (big gains, smaller losses). Downside volatility: BTC 52.3% vs MARA 74.9%. Calculated on each asset's full 365-day lookback of available prices and annualized using the asset calendar (365 for crypto, 252 trading days for equities/ETFs/metals).
Full Comparison of Bitcoin vs. Marathon Digital (2021)
| Metric | BTC | MARA |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return | +44.8% | +198.5% |
| Annualized Volatility | 80.3% | 138.5% |
| Sharpe Ratio | 0.81 | 1.43 |
| Sortino Ratio | 1.24 | 2.64 |
| Max Drawdown | -53.1% | -65.2% |
| Avg Correlation to S&P 500 | N/A | N/A |
Bitcoin vs Marathon Digital: Frequently Asked Questions
Which had higher volatility: BTC or MARA?
MARA showed higher volatility at 138.5% annualized, compared to 80.3% for BTC During 2021. Higher volatility meant larger price swings in both directions.
Did BTC provide diversification when held with MARA?
BTC and MARA were strongly correlated in 2021, with an average correlation of 0.61. This strong correlation limited diversification benefits.
Which had better risk-adjusted returns: BTC or MARA?
MARA showed better risk-adjusted performance with a Sharpe ratio of 1.43 versus BTC's 0.81 During 2021.
Could BTC and MARA have been combined in a portfolio?
Yes, though allocation sizing mattered. Their strong correlation provided limited risk reduction since they tended to move together. MARA's higher volatility (138.5%) meant even small allocations can materially impact overall portfolio risk.