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Aave (AAVE)

Aave's return path without cash flows, plus the drawdowns behind the headline numbers and context against Bitcoin.

Gale Finance Team
Written by Gale Finance Team
Sid Kalla
Reviewed by Sid Kalla CFA Charterholder
Quick Answer

What is Aave's risk, return, and volatility like?

Aave returned -44.3% over the 1Y window. On the Since inception lens, Sharpe ratio is -0.21, annualized volatility is 89.8%, and max drawdown is -74.8%.

Total Return
1Y -44.3%
Since inception -43.9%
Sharpe Ratio
1Y -0.28
Since inception -0.21
Annualized Volatility
1Y 87.2%
Since inception 89.8%
Max Drawdown
1Y -74.8%
Since inception -74.8%

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Price history

Aave price since inception

Track Aave's standalone price path with macro and asset-specific events enabled by default.

Aave price since inception

AAVE
Latest close $93.32 Data through 2026-04-23
Since inception low $89.96 Window low
Since inception high $356.97 Window high

Key takeaways

  • Total Return: AAVE returned -44.3% over the 1Y window and -43.9% over the Since inception window ; annualized return over Since inception was -42.1%.
  • Risk-adjusted return: Sharpe was -0.21 and Sortino was -0.29 over Since inception. Sharpe counts total volatility; Sortino focuses on downside volatility.
  • Volatility & drawdown: Annualized volatility was 87.2% over 1Y and 89.8% over Since inception ; max drawdown was -74.8% over 1Y and -74.8% over Since inception .
  • Tail risk (Expected Shortfall): Over Since inception, daily VaR (5%) was -7.3% and Expected Shortfall was -11.1%. VaR is the cutoff; Expected Shortfall is the average move inside the worst 5% of daily returns.
  • Skew & kurtosis: Over Since inception, skew was -0.21 and excess kurtosis was 2.06. Skew shows return asymmetry; excess kurtosis shows how fat the tails were versus a Normal distribution.
  • Risk ratios: Sortino Ratio: -0.29 , Calmar Ratio: -0.56 , Sterling Ratio: -1.57 , Treynor Ratio: -0.19 , Ulcer Index: 42.39% .

Aave Drawdown

AAVE 1Y Max Drawdown
-74.8%
2025-08-23 to 2026-04-11
AAVE Since inception Max Drawdown
-74.8%
2025-08-23 to 2026-04-11

Max drawdown shows the deepest peak-to-trough decline Aave suffered in each research window. 1Y: -74.8%; Since inception: -74.8%.

Aave is currently -73.9% below its prior peak, with the high-water mark at $356.97. Since inception low is $89.96.

AAVE underwater plot (Since inception). Zero means at a prior peak; dips show how far below peak the close was on each day. Deepest trough: -74.8% on Apr 11, 2026.
-74.8% 2025-04-01 2026-04-23 0% -75%

Since inception drawdown episodes

#1
-74.8% Aug 23, 2025 to Apr 11, 2026
Not yet recovered 243 total days
#2
-26.1% Jun 10, 2025 to Jun 22, 2025
Recovered Jul 10, 2025 30 total days
#3
-24.9% Apr 1, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025
Recovered Apr 23, 2025 22 total days

Aave Volatility

AAVE 1Y Volatility
87.2%
Annualized daily closes
AAVE Since inception Volatility
89.8%
Annualized daily closes

Volatility Aave's annualized volatility shows how widely daily closes moved over 1Y and Since inception. Higher values mean a noisier path, not automatically a better or worse investment. 1Y: 87.2%; Since inception: 89.8%.

Benchmark context

Where AAVE fits relative to other lenses

Benchmark links are secondary on this page. Use them when you want to place the asset against a specific market, factor, or historical counterpart.

Default benchmark

Bitcoin

BTC

Cross-asset crypto benchmark

1Y return
-17.1%
AAVE minus BTC
-27.3%
Correlation
0.51
1Y
AAVE vs BTC average correlation
Moderately linked
0.51
SPY

S&P 500

Corr 0.45

Broad equity benchmark

1Y return +30.7%
AAVE minus SPY -75.1%
ETH

Ethereum

Corr 0.63

Cross-asset crypto benchmark

1Y return +30.5%
AAVE minus ETH -75.0%
QQQ

Nasdaq 100

Corr 0.45

Growth and tech benchmark

1Y return +39.9%
AAVE minus QQQ -84.3%

Risk-adjusted ratios

These ratios compare return against different definitions of risk: total volatility, downside volatility, drawdowns, benchmark beta, and time spent underwater.

Aave Sharpe Ratio

AAVE 1Y Sharpe ratio
-0.28
Recent window
AAVE Since inception Sharpe ratio
-0.21
Deeper research window

AAVE Sharpe Ratio (Since inception)

Return per total volatility

The dot sits at (Aave's annualized volatility, its excess annualized return). The slope from the origin to the dot is the Sharpe ratio — steeper means the asset converted risk into return more efficiently.

Higher is better
Excess return Annualized volatility 0 100% vol 89.8% · excess -18.4%
excess annualized return / total volatility
Formula Sharpe=E[R]RfσR\displaystyle \mathrm{Sharpe} = \frac{\mathbb{E}[R] - R_f}{\sigma_R}

Sharpe ratio Aave's Sharpe ratio measures excess return per unit of total volatility. Higher readings mean the asset converted risk into return more efficiently over the same window. 1Y: -0.28; Since inception: -0.21.

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).

Aave Sortino Ratio

AAVE 1Y Sortino ratio
-0.40
Recent window
AAVE Since inception Sortino ratio
-0.29
Deeper research window

AAVE Sortino Ratio (Since inception)

Return per downside volatility

Aave's daily-return distribution over the long window. Days left of the target line are the only ones Sortino penalizes in the denominator — so a distribution with a fat left tail produces a smaller Sortino even at the same mean return.

Higher is better
Frequency (days) Daily return (%) target -19.5% +20.7% 46 0
excess annualized return / downside volatility
Formula Sortino=E[R]Rfσdown\displaystyle \mathrm{Sortino} = \frac{\mathbb{E}[R] - R_f}{\sigma_{\mathrm{down}}}

Sortino ratio Aave's Sortino ratio isolates downside volatility instead of all volatility. It is the cleaner lens when you care more about bad downside moves than upside noise. 1Y: -0.40; Since inception: -0.29.

A higher Sortino is better. It's useful when upside volatility is common (crypto is the obvious example). Calculated on each asset's full 365-day lookback of available prices, using the daily risk-free rate as the target return, and annualized using the asset calendar (365 for crypto, 252 trading days for equities/ETFs/metals).

Aave Calmar Ratio

AAVE 1Y Calmar ratio
-0.59
Recent window
AAVE Since inception Calmar ratio
-0.56
Deeper research window

AAVE Calmar Ratio (Since inception)

CAGR per worst drawdown

Aave's CAGR bar sits above zero, the max drawdown bar sits below. Calmar is the ratio of those two magnitudes — a shallow drawdown bar with a tall CAGR bar produces a strong Calmar.

Higher is better
0% AAVE Since inception -42.1% -74.8%
CAGR / max drawdown
Formula Calmar=CAGRMaxDD\displaystyle \mathrm{Calmar} = \frac{\mathrm{CAGR}}{|\mathrm{MaxDD}|}

Calmar ratio Aave's Calmar ratio measures return per unit of max drawdown. It is useful when the path of losses matters as much as the final return. 1Y: -0.59; Since inception: -0.56.

Calmar is computed on each asset's full 365-day lookback and uses the max drawdown over that same window.

Aave Sterling Ratio

AAVE 1Y Sterling ratio
-1.59
Recent window
AAVE Since inception Sterling ratio
-1.57
Deeper research window

AAVE Sterling Ratio (Since inception)

Return per average drawdown

The underwater curve shows Aave's drawdowns over the long window. Sterling averages every event deeper than the 10% threshold instead of taking only the worst one — so an asset with many mid-size drawdowns scores worse here than on Calmar.

Higher is better
0% -20% -39% -59% -79% 10% drawdown threshold
excess CAGR / average deep drawdown
Formula Sterling=CAGRRfD>10%\displaystyle \mathrm{Sterling} = \frac{\mathrm{CAGR} - R_f}{\overline{D}_{>10\%}}

Sterling ratio Aave's Sterling ratio compares return against deep drawdown pressure. It gives a harsher read on assets that compound well but suffer ugly declines along the way. 1Y: -1.59; Since inception: -1.57.

Sterling uses average drawdown events deeper than 10% and subtracts the risk-free rate to report excess return.

Aave Ulcer Index

AAVE 1Y Ulcer Index
43.47
Recent window
AAVE Since inception Ulcer Index
42.39
Deeper research window

AAVE Ulcer Index (Since inception)

Drawdown pain

The underwater curve shows how deep and how long Aave's drawdowns were. Ulcer is the root-mean-square of that curve — both depth and persistence count, so lower is better.

Lower is better
0% -20% -39% -59% -79%
root-mean-square drawdown
Formula UI=E[Dt2]\displaystyle \mathrm{UI} = \sqrt{\mathbb{E}[D_t^2]}

Ulcer Index Aave's Ulcer Index measures both the depth and persistence of drawdowns. Lower is better because it means fewer and shallower underwater periods. 1Y: 43.47; Since inception: 42.39.

Ulcer Index is computed from each asset's drawdown series over the full lookback window.

Aave Treynor Ratio

AAVE 1Y Treynor
-0.28
Beta 0.89 vs BTC
AAVE Since inception Treynor
-0.19
Beta 0.99 vs BTC

AAVE Treynor Ratio (Since inception)

Excess return per beta vs BTC

The line's slope is Aave's beta to BTC — steeper means more market-sensitive. Treynor divides excess return by that slope, so an asset can look efficient with a shallow beta and a small return, or inefficient with a steep beta and a big return.

Higher is better
Asset return Market return 0 0 β 0.99
excess return / market beta
Formula Treynor=E[R]Rfβ\displaystyle \mathrm{Treynor} = \frac{\mathbb{E}[R] - R_f}{\beta}

Treynor ratio measures excess return per unit of market beta versus BTC. A high Treynor means the asset compensated its market exposure well over this window. A low or negative Treynor means the asset's market risk wasn't rewarded.

Treynor uses beta vs the S&P 500 (SPY) on shared dates and the average 3-month Treasury rate as the risk-free rate.

Aave Tail Risk

Tail-risk stats use daily return distributions rather than simple end-point returns. They show how ugly the left tail has been, how severe the worst 5% of days were, and whether returns were skewed toward outsized upside or downside shocks.

The histogram shows the shape of Aave's daily log returns over the Since inception window. Bars left of the 5% VaR marker are the worst 5% of days; the ES marker is the average loss inside that tail. Skew and excess kurtosis describe whether the distribution is symmetric around zero and whether extreme days are more common than a Normal distribution predicts.

AAVE daily return distribution (Since inception)

AAVE daily return distribution (Since inception)

Log-return histogram with Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall markers at the 5% left tail.

Days
AAVE Since inception VaR 5% ES 5% -23.1% 0% +23.1% Daily log return
worst-5% daily return and the average loss inside it
Formula VaR5%=Q0.05(R),ES5%=E[RRVaR5%]\displaystyle \mathrm{VaR}_{5\%} = Q_{0.05}(R),\quad \mathrm{ES}_{5\%} = \mathbb{E}[R \mid R \le \mathrm{VaR}_{5\%}]
Metric 1YSince inception
VaR (5%) -6.8% Historical daily threshold -7.3% Historical daily threshold
Expected shortfall (5%) -10.5% Beyond the VaR threshold -11.1% Beyond the VaR threshold
Skew -0.19 -0.21
Excess kurtosis 2.12 2.06

Less negative daily VaR and Expected Shortfall values mean the left tail was less violent. Skew and excess kurtosis help distinguish between steady compounding and a path dominated by occasional extreme moves.

Full stats table

Every window-consistent research metric

Each column keeps the same horizon across returns, ratios, drawdowns, and tail-risk metrics.

Metric
1Y Recent window
Since inception Deeper research window
Total return
-44.3%
-43.9%
Annualized return
-44.3%
-42.1%
Volatility
87.2% Annualized daily closes
89.8% Annualized daily closes
Sharpe ratio
-0.28
-0.21
Sortino ratio
-0.40
-0.29
Calmar ratio
-0.59
-0.56
Sterling ratio
-1.59
-1.57
Ulcer Index
43.47
42.39
Max drawdown
-74.8% 2025-08-23 to 2026-04-11
-74.8% 2025-08-23 to 2026-04-11
VaR (5%)
-6.8% Historical daily threshold
-7.3% Historical daily threshold
Expected shortfall (5%)
-10.5% Beyond the VaR threshold
-11.1% Beyond the VaR threshold
Skew
-0.19
-0.21
Excess kurtosis
2.12
2.06

What viewers usually ask next

What is Aave's Since inception CAGR?

Aave's since inception cagr is -42.1% on Gale using the since-inception window.

What is Aave's 1-year volatility?

Annualized volatility is 87.2% over the past year.

What is Aave's since-inception Sharpe ratio?

Aave's Sharpe ratio is -0.21 using the since-inception window.

What is Aave's since-inception Sortino ratio?

Aave's Sortino ratio is -0.29 using the since-inception window.

What is Aave's since-inception Calmar ratio?

Aave's Calmar ratio is -0.56 using the since-inception window.

What is Aave's since-inception Sterling ratio?

Aave's Sterling ratio is -1.57 using the since-inception window.

What is Aave's since-inception Ulcer Index?

Aave's Ulcer Index is 42.39 using the since-inception window. Lower is better because it means shallower and less persistent drawdowns.

What is Aave's since-inception max drawdown?

Max drawdown is -74.8% over the since-inception window from 2025-08-23 to 2026-04-11.

What is Aave's since-inception daily Value at Risk?

Using historical daily returns, Gale estimates a 5% Value at Risk of -7.31% over the since-inception window.

What is Aave's since-inception Expected Shortfall?

Expected Shortfall is -11.06% over the since-inception window, which captures the average outcome inside the worst 5% of daily returns.

Is Aave still below its all-time high?

Current drawdown is -73.9% versus the all-time high of $356.97 reached on 2025-08-23.

Which benchmark should viewers open first for Aave?

Bitcoin is the default benchmark lens on Gale because it gives the cleanest context for Aave's recent behavior.