At a glance
ARKX charges 0.75% a year, above the 0.58% average of the 5 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 6). It has $759.5M in assets, the 3rd largest of that group. Over the past year it returned −0.7% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 6 funds; over three years it returned +34.5% a year. At its worst it fell 35.9% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 26 months after the low. Its ten largest positions make up 54.2% of the fund, out of 35 in all.
The short version
ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (ARKX) is an actively managed fund from ARK Invest. Its managers pick a concentrated set of stocks tied to space and defense, such as SpaceX, L3Harris, Kratos and Rocket Lab. It charges 0.75% a year, more than the 0.58% average of similar funds. It pays no distributions, and its price swings sharply: it fell 43.6% from September 2021 to October 2022.
Price history
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ARKX -0.7% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARKX official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +26.61% | — | — | — | -0.64% |
| ARKX price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +6.4% | -0.7% | +34.5% | +9.1% | — | +7.2% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ARKX returned -0.7%, 4th of 6 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +9.1%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-34.3%); its best was 2025 (+48.5%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 43.6% (Sep 2, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Jan 21, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +6.4% | — |
| 2025 | +48.5% | — |
| 2024 | +26.7% | +26.61% |
| 2023 | +24.4% | +24.18% |
| 2022 | -34.3% | -34.20% |
| 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 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 35.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 35.9%, back to its old high 25.5 months after the low |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 35 securities; the ten largest made up 54.23% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP | 7.67% | |
| L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES INC | 7.52% | |
| KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS INC | 6.22% | |
| DEERE & COMPANY | 5.41% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | 4.93% | |
| AMAZON.COM INC | 4.90% | |
| ROCKET LAB CORP | 4.74% | |
| AEROVIRONMENT INC | 4.53% | |
| ALPHABET INC | 4.35% | |
| TERADYNE INC | 3.96% | |
| NVIDIA CORP | 3.39% | |
| KOMATSU LTD | 3.35% | |
| TRIMBLE INC | 3.34% | |
| ARCHER AVIATION INC (NEW) | 3.12% | |
| TESLA INC | 3.04% |
By country
United States 86.58%Japan 3.35%France 2.12%Taiwan 1.81%Switzerland 1.74%By asset type
Stocks 99.81%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 43.8% 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 $73.0M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +13.45%, -8.69%, -10.29%.
How it works
ARKX does not track an index. ARK's managers choose the stocks, aiming for long-term growth of capital. At least 80% of assets go into US and foreign companies tied to what the prospectus filed November 26, 2025, calls the "Space & Defense Innovation" theme. That prospectus also uses the name ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF. ARK sorts companies into four groups: orbital aerospace (satellites, launch vehicles), suborbital aerospace, enabling technologies (artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, energy storage) and aerospace beneficiaries (agriculture, GPS, imaging, drones, air taxis). The prospectus warns that many holdings may have only an indirect link to space, and some may earn no revenue.
The managers combine economy-wide research with company measures such as revenue growth and profitability. They pick their highest-conviction ideas and give the largest weights to the stocks they are most confident in, not to the biggest companies. The fund is "non-diversified," meaning it can put a large share of its money into a few companies. The prospectus expects 40 to 55 stocks. As of July 31, 2026, it held 35, and the top ten made up 54% of assets. It must keep more than 25% in information technology and industrials.
There is no index rebalancing date, because the managers trade when their views change. Portfolio turnover, the share of holdings replaced over a year, was 24%. As of July 31, 2026, the fund held 99.8% stocks and no derivatives.
What it really costs
- ARKX charges 0.75% a year, versus an average of 0.58% for the similar funds below (3rd of 6, cheapest first).
- The fee includes a 0.01% waiver from the adviser, which may end.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $77 in the first year and $941 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARKX | $77 | $242 | $421 | $941 |
In a retirement portfolio
ARKX is a concentrated, actively managed bet on one theme, and it has had deep drops, so it fits as a small add-on to a broader portfolio rather than its foundation.
ARKX launched in March 2021, so it has no record in the 2008 or 2020 crashes. In the 2022 bear market it fell 35.9%, and it lost 34.3% over calendar 2022, its worst year. Its deepest drop, 43.6% from September 2021 to October 2022, took about 27 months from the low to recover, which it did in January 2025. Its one-year beta was 1.95 as of October 27, 2026. Beta measures how much a fund moves compared with the broad market, so ARKX has moved about twice as much. A retiree who had to withdraw money in 2022 would have locked in large losses. The fund has recorded no distributions, so it provides no income. Under the SEC's standard example, it costs $77 in the first year on $10,000. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want a small, actively picked stake in space and defense names such as SpaceX, L3Harris, Kratos, Rocket Lab and AeroVironment.
- Long-horizon holders who can sit through drops like the 43.6% fall from September 2021 to October 2022 without needing the money.
- People who don't need income from this holding, since the fund has recorded no distributions and aims for growth of capital.
Look elsewhere if
- Investors seeking a low-cost core holding: the 0.75% expense ratio is above the 0.58% average of similar funds.
- Retirees who may need cash in a downturn: the fund lost 34.3% in 2022 and took about 27 months to recover its deepest drop.
- Those wanting pure space exposure or already owning ARKQ: holdings include Deere, AMD and Amazon, and they overlap ARKQ's by 67%.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARKX this fund | — | 0.75% | $759.5M | -0.7% | +34.5% |
| ARKQ ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF | 67% | 0.75% | $1.86B | -3.5% | +35.9% |
| ARKK ARK Innovation ETF | 30% | 0.75% | $5.56B | -6.1% | +35.5% |
| SFYF SoFi Social 50 ETF | 26% | 0.29% | $42.5M | +12.7% | +38.8% |
| UFO Procure Space ETF | 21% | 0.94% | $587.2M | +6.8% | +41.1% |
| IETC iShares U.S. Tech Independence Focused ETF | 20% | 0.18% | $668.3M | +2.9% | +28.9% |
Questions investors ask
Does ARKX pay a dividend?
No. ARKX has recorded no distributions, so it provides no regular income. Its stated objective is long-term growth of capital, and it holds many companies that reinvest their earnings or are not yet profitable. Some holdings may earn no revenue at all, according to the prospectus. Any return comes from changes in the share price, so an investor who wanted cash from ARKX would have to sell shares, possibly when prices are down.
What stocks are in ARKX?
As of July 31, 2026, ARKX held 35 stocks. The largest were Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) at 7.7%, L3Harris at 7.5%, Kratos Defense at 6.2%, Deere at 5.4%, AMD at 4.9%, Amazon at 4.9%, Rocket Lab at 4.7%, AeroVironment at 4.5%, Alphabet at 4.4% and Teradyne at 4.0%. Together the top ten made up 54% of the fund. About 87% was in US companies, and the rest was spread across Japan, France, Taiwan, Switzerland and Israel.
What's the difference between ARKX and ARKQ?
Both are actively managed ARK Invest funds charging 0.75% a year, and 67% of their holdings overlap. ARKQ, the ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF, is larger, with $1.86 billion in net assets against ARKX's $759 million as of July 31, 2026. As of October 27, 2026, ARKX returned -0.7% over one year and 34.5% a year over three years. ARKQ returned -3.5% and 35.9%. Owning both adds less variety than two fund names suggest.
Is ARKX good for retirement?
ARKX is a high-risk fund that is more likely to play a small side role than a central one. It fell 35.9% in the 2022 bear market. Its deepest drop, 43.6%, took about 27 months from the low to recover. It pays no income, and its 0.75% fee is above the 0.58% average of similar funds. Investors who may need to withdraw money during a downturn face the risk of selling at a loss.
How has ARKX performed since it launched?
ARKX's results have been uneven since its March 2021 launch. Its prospectus reports an average annual return of -0.64% from inception through December 31, 2024, after a 34.2% loss in 2022 and gains of 24.18% in 2023 and 26.61% in 2024. Based on price, it gained 48.46% in 2025. As of October 27, 2026, it had returned 9.1% a year over five years and -0.7% over the past year.