At a glance
ARKK charges 0.75% a year, above the 0.66% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 9). It has $5.56B in assets, the largest of that group. Over the past year it returned −6.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 6th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +35.5% a year. At its worst it fell 42.5% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 63.2% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%). Its ten largest positions make up 47.6% of the fund, out of 46 in all.
The short version
ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is an actively managed ARK Invest fund holding 46 companies it ties to "disruptive innovation," led by Tesla, Tempus AI and Space Exploration Technologies as of July 31, 2026. It swings much more than the market, gaining about 153% in 2020 and losing about 67% in 2022. It charges 0.75% a year, above the 0.66% average for similar funds, and paid no dividends in the year to October 27, 2026.
Price history
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ARKK -6.1% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARKK official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +8.36% | — | +3.05% | +11.99% | — |
| ARKK price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +10.2% | -6.1% | +35.5% | -6.2% | +16.4% | +13.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ARKK returned -6.1%, 6th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was -6.2% and its 10-year +16.4%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 42.5% and regained its old high 2.1 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-67.0%); its best was 2020 (+152.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 81% (Feb 12, 2021 to Dec 28, 2022), not yet recovered.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +10.2% | — |
| 2025 | +35.5% | — |
| 2024 | +8.4% | +8.36% |
| 2023 | +69.0% | +67.82% |
| 2022 | -67.0% | -66.99% |
| 2021 | -23.6% | -23.36% |
| 2020 | +152.8% | +152.51% |
| 2019 | +35.1% | +35.23% |
| 2018 | +3.5% | +3.58% |
| 2017 | +87.3% | +87.41% |
| 2016 | -2.0% | -1.97% |
| 2015 | +3.8% | +3.76% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 36.5% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 42.5%, back to its old high 2.1 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 62.8% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 63.2%, not recovered by the end of the data |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $0.3600 | -30.8% |
| 2021 | $0.5200 | -74.5% |
| 2020 | $2.0400 | +973.7% |
| 2019 | $0.1900 | -83.8% |
| 2018 | $1.1700 | +138.8% |
| 2017 | $0.4900 | +4.3% |
| 2015 | $0.4700 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 46 securities; the ten largest made up 47.59% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| TESLA INC | 9.74% | |
| TEMPUS AI INC | 4.89% | |
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP | 4.87% | |
| CRISPR THERAPEUTICS AG | 4.73% | |
| SHOPIFY INC | 4.36% | |
| COINBASE GLOBAL INC | 4.17% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | 3.98% | |
| CIRCLE INTERNET GROUP INC | 3.90% | |
| ROBINHOOD MARKETS INC | 3.64% | |
| TWIST BIOSCIENCE CORP | 3.31% | |
| 10X GENOMICS INC | 3.30% | |
| PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC | 3.11% | |
| OPENAI GROUP PBC SERIES C Preferred stock | 3.10% | |
| AMAZON.COM INC | 2.95% | |
| BEAM THERAPEUTICS INC | 2.79% |
By country
United States 88.1%Switzerland 4.73%Canada 4.36%Cayman Islands 1.64%Taiwan 1.13%By asset type
Stocks 96.88%Preferred stock 3.1%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 41.7% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jul 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $611.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +8.24%, -1.53%, -11.82%.
How it works
ARKK doesn't track an index. Its adviser, ARK Invest, picks every holding, aiming for long-term growth of capital. Under normal conditions, at least 65% of assets go into US and foreign stocks of companies tied to "disruptive innovation," which ARK defines as a technology-enabled new product or service that could change the way the world works. The prospectus sorts these into six groups: genomics, automation, energy, artificial intelligence, next-generation internet, and blockchain and fintech (financial technology).
ARK uses in-house research, plus outside sources, to find companies profiting from or enabling one of those themes. Some genomics picks may not yet earn much revenue from genomics. Position sizes are ARK's call, not a formula, so the fund can be concentrated: as of July 31, 2026, its 10 largest holdings made up 47.6% of assets, with Tesla alone at 9.7%. Portfolio turnover, the share of holdings replaced over a year, was 43% in the fiscal year covered by its November 26, 2025 prospectus.
It's a plain stock fund: it doesn't use leverage, and as of July 31, 2026, it held no derivatives (such as options or futures) and 0.16% in cash. US companies made up 88.1% of assets, with Switzerland (CRISPR Therapeutics) and Canada (Shopify) next. It also held Series C preferred shares of OpenAI Group PBC, worth 3.1% of assets.
What it really costs
- ARKK charges 0.75% a year, versus an average of 0.66% for the similar funds below (3rd of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $77 in the first year and $930 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARKK | $77 | $240 | $417 | $930 |
In a retirement portfolio
ARK Invest hand-picks 46 companies tied to its "disruptive innovation" theme, led by Tesla at about 9.7% of assets as of July 31, 2026, and the fund's very large swings suit a small slice of a portfolio rather than its foundation.
ARKK launched in October 2014, after the 2008 financial crisis. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 42.5% but regained its peak by May 20, 2020. The 2022 bear market was far harsher: it lost 63.2%, and calendar 2022 was its worst year, down about 67%. Its deepest drop was 81%, from February 2021 to December 2022, and it had not regained that peak as of October 27, 2026. Selling shares or drawing cash during such a slump would lock in steep losses.
It paid no distributions in the year to October 27, 2026, so it offers growth potential, not income. It charges 0.75% a year, close to similar funds' 0.76% average; the SEC's standard example puts costs on $10,000 at $77 for one year and $930 over 10 years. Past results don't predict future returns, and a plan needs to weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Growth investors comfortable with a concentrated, actively picked bet on companies such as Tesla, Tempus AI, CRISPR Therapeutics and Coinbase.
- Long-horizon investors who can tolerate swings like a 39.7% one-quarter loss in 2022 and a 61.4% one-quarter gain in 2020.
- Investors who want ARK's genomics, AI, fintech, automation and internet themes in one fund rather than several narrower ARK ETFs like ARKG or ARKF.
Look elsewhere if
- Retirees who need income from their investments: ARKK paid no dividends in the 12 months to October 27, 2026.
- Anyone needing the money soon: as of October 27, 2026, the fund remained below its February 2021 peak after falling 81%.
- Cost-conscious investors: its 0.75% expense ratio tops the 0.66% average of similar funds, and SoFi Social 50 ETF (SFYF) charges 0.29%.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARKK this fund | — | 0.75% | $5.56B | -6.1% | +35.5% |
| ARKW ARK Next Generation Internet ETF | 56% | 0.82% | $1.61B | -11.7% | +47.2% |
| ARKQ ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF | 38% | 0.75% | $1.86B | -3.5% | +35.9% |
| ARKF ARK Fintech Innovation ETF | 37% | 0.75% | $700.8M | -23.9% | +36.8% |
| SFYF SoFi Social 50 ETF | 35% | 0.29% | $42.5M | +12.7% | +38.8% |
| ARKX ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF | 30% | 0.75% | $759.5M | -0.7% | +34.5% |
| ARKG ARK Genomic Revolution ETF | 28% | 0.75% | $1.56B | +65.8% | +32.4% |
| BUZZ VanEck Social Sentiment ETF | 23% | 0.76% | $104.5M | -8.3% | +36.3% |
Questions investors ask
Is ARKK a good investment for retirement?
It is a high-risk fit for retirement money. In the year to October 27, 2026, ARKK had a beta of 2.33, meaning it tended to move 2.33 times as much as the broad market. Its price fell 28% over the five years to that date, though it rose 355% over 10 years. It also paid no dividends in the 12 months to that date. It may suit savers with long horizons more than retirees drawing income.
Does ARKK pay a dividend?
No. ARKK made no distributions in the 12 months to October 27, 2026, so its trailing yield, the income paid over the past year as a share of the price, was 0%. That fits its stated goal of long-term growth of capital rather than income. For retirees, it means withdrawals would come from cashing in shares, which can mean doing so after a steep drop, like the fund's roughly 67% loss in 2022.
What's the difference between ARKK and ARKW?
Mostly breadth and cost, since their holdings overlap heavily: about 56%, based on each fund's latest SEC holdings report. ARKK spans six innovation themes, while ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW) is named for one of them. ARKW charges 0.82% a year versus 0.75% and is smaller, with about $1.6 billion in net assets versus $5.6 billion as of July 31, 2026. Based on price through October 27, 2026, ARKW lost 11.7% over one year (ARKK lost 6.1%) but returned 47.2% a year over three years (ARKK: 35.5%).
Has ARKK recovered from its 2022 crash?
Not fully. ARKK's price fell 81% from its February 12, 2021 peak to its December 28, 2022 low, and it had not regained that peak as of October 27, 2026. It has rebounded since, gaining 67.82% in 2023, 8.36% in 2024 and, based on price, 35.49% in 2025. After a loss that deep, though, even large percentage gains can leave a fund below its old high, because each gain starts from a much smaller base.
What is ARKK's expense ratio?
ARKK's expense ratio, the yearly fee taken from fund assets, is 0.75%, according to its prospectus filed November 26, 2025. All of it is the management fee, with no waiver. That's above the 0.66% average for similar funds; SoFi Social 50 ETF (SFYF) charges 0.29%, while ARKW charges 0.82%. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would pay total costs of $77 over one year, $240 over three, $417 over five and $930 over 10, assuming shares are cashed in at the end.