Cathie Wood Is a Historic Fund Manager with Viral Fame. That Doesn't Make Her ARK ETFs Good Buys Now.

A new analysis challenges whether Cathie Wood’s ARK ETFs are attractive buys now, arguing that viral fame hasn’t translated into consistent long-term results for active ETFs. The article compares five of ARK’s largest funds—ARKK, ARKG, ARKQ, ARKW and ARKX—tracking performance from March 30, 2021 to the present, while excluding ARKB due to its role as a Bitcoin tracking vehicle. It claims the robotics and space funds produced returns roughly between Treasury bills and the S&P 500, but only since April 2025, following roughly four years of near-zero net results. The author notes ARKK assets under $7 billion and highlights a past sixfold run from 2017 to 2020.