Expense Ratio
0.75% annually
0.04% annually
Number of Holdings
~25-35 stocks (concentrated)
~200+ stocks (broad)
5-Year Annualized Return
Negative (~-10% as of 2024)
Positive (~15%+ as of 2024)
Peak-to-Trough Drawdown (2021-2022)
~-75% from ATH
~-35% from ATH
Top Sector Focus
Genomics, AI, Fintech, Space
Tech, Consumer Discretionary, Industrials
Daily Holdings Disclosure
Yes — full transparency daily
Quarterly (standard ETF reporting)
Dividend Yield
~0% (rare/minimal)
~0.5-0.7% annually
Management Style
Actively managed by Cathie Wood's team
Passive index tracking (CRSP US Large Cap Growth)
Top Holding Concentration
Top 10 = ~60-70% of fund
Top 10 = ~55% of fund
Minimum Investment
1 share (~$45-60 range)
1 share (~$300-350 range)
Worth knowing
- ARKK's expense ratio is nearly 19x higher than VUG's — that gap compounds painfully over decades.
- ARKK gained ~150% in 2020 alone, sparking massive retail inflows; it then lost ~75% by 2022, wiping out most of those gains.
- VUG has outperformed ARKK on a 5-year basis despite being a 'boring' passive fund — proof that cost and diversification matter.
- ARKK discloses every holding every single day, which is rare and praised by transparency advocates.
- VUG's $200B+ AUM makes it one of the largest growth ETFs on the planet, giving it near-zero bid-ask spreads.
Cathie Wood's ARKK was so popular in 2020 that finance Twitter coined the term 'ARKK investor' as shorthand for someone who buys high, panic-sells low, and blames 'time horizons.'
If you wantYou want low-cost, reliable long-term growth with minimal drama
VUG's 0.04% fee and 200+ holdings make it a near-perfect core growth holding for any portfolio.
→ Pick Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) If you wantYou believe in disruptive tech themes like AI, genomics, and fintech over a 10+ year horizon
ARKK gives concentrated exposure to genuinely transformative sectors — just keep position size small.
→ Pick ARK Invest ETF (ARKK) If you wantYou're a risk-averse or near-retirement investor
A 75% drawdown is not a recovery story — it's a retirement date extension. VUG is far more stable.
→ Pick Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) If you wantYou're a portfolio analyst who loves daily holdings transparency
ARKK's daily disclosure is genuinely unique in the active ETF world and earns real respect.
→ Pick ARK Invest ETF (ARKK) Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.