What Is ARKK? ARK Innovation ETF
Last updated October 2026
Short answer
ARKK is the ARK Innovation ETF, an actively managed fund run by ARK Invest at a roughly 0.75% expense ratio. Unlike index ETFs, it holds a concentrated, high-conviction set of disruptive-innovation names across genomics, fintech, AI, space, and electric vehicles (TSLA, SpaceX, TEM, CRCL). It is a high-volatility thematic bet, not a broad-market core. Versus an index fund like QQQ, ARKK is far more concentrated, actively traded, and dependent on the manager's stock selection.
ARKK is issued by ARK Invest and tracks Actively managed (no index). It charges a 0.75% expense ratio, holds approximately $7.92B in assets under management, yields about 0.00%, and launched in October 2014.
What is ARKK?
ARKK is the ARK Innovation ETF, an actively managed fund run by ARK Invest at a roughly 0.75% expense ratio. Unlike index ETFs, it holds a concentrated, high-conviction set of disruptive-innovation names across genomics, fintech, AI, space, and electric vehicles (TSLA, SpaceX, TEM, CRCL). It is a high-volatility thematic bet, not a broad-market core. Versus an index fund like QQQ, ARKK is far more concentrated, actively traded, and dependent on the manager's stock selection.
ARKK is issued by ARK Invest and tracks Actively managed (no index), so a single ticker gives you the whole portfolio of underlying holdings weighted by the index's methodology rather than by any active stock-picking.
What does ARKK hold?
ARKK is weighted toward its largest constituents. As of October 2026, the top holdings are:
| Rank | Ticker | Company | % of ARKK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TSLA | Tesla | 9.08% | |
| 2 | SPCX | SpaceX | 6.18% | |
| 3 | TEM | Tempus AI | 5.91% | |
| 4 | CRCL | Circle Internet Group | 4.57% | |
| 5 | CRSP | CRISPR Therapeutics | 4.45% | |
| 6 | COIN | Coinbase | 4.40% | |
| 7 | TWST | Twist Bioscience | 4.38% | |
| 8 | HOOD | Robinhood Markets | 3.86% | |
| 9 | TXG | 10x Genomics | 3.49% | |
| 10 | SHOP | Shopify | 3.24% |
The remaining holdings make up the balance of the fund, with weights tapering off below the top names. Because the index reconstitutes on a rolling basis, the roster stays current without active management. Each ticker above links to its individual stock guide in Walnut.
Themes ARKK is commonly used to express
ETFs are passive bundles; thematic portfolios in Walnut let you concentrate within them. If you hold ARKK as a core position, these are the themes you might layer on as satellites.
How do I invest in ARKK?
There are three common ways to get ARKK exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) of ARKK directly at any major broker that lists it. Hold it as a core position and layer more concentrated ideas on top. Or build it into a thematic portfolio in Walnut, so ARKK sits alongside other holdings that express the same thesis, with target weights you can rebalance toward. ARKK trades like a stock during market hours, so you buy it the same way you would any listed share.
New to buying funds? See how to buy an ETF, step by step.
Is ARKK a good buy?
Whether ARKK is a good buy depends less on any single call and more on your time horizon and what you already hold: it tracks Actively managed (no index), so the real question is whether you want that exposure in your mix and at what weight. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is ARKK a buy?
The bottom line on ARKK
ARKK is an actively managed, high-conviction bet on disruptive innovation, with a high expense ratio and large swings in both directions. It fits as a small, speculative satellite around a diversified core rather than a core holding, and its returns hinge on the manager's calls rather than tracking an index.
More on ARKK
Whether ARKK is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is ARKK a buy?
ARKK yields 0.00% as of October 2026, paid by passing through the dividends of its underlying holdings. For the payout schedule, history, and how the distributions are taxed, see ARKK dividend: yield and schedule.
For what analysts expect from the companies ARKK holds, its yield as a guide to income, and why no one publishes a price target for the fund itself, see the ARKK forecast.
ARKK is an actively managed, high-conviction disruption fund with a high fee (around 0.75%) and large swings, while QQQ is a passive, rules-based Nasdaq-100 index at 0.18%. ARKK is a concentrated active bet; QQQ is broad big-tech beta. Read the full side-by-side in ARKK vs QQQ.
New to funds like ARKK? Start with what an ETF is, then how to buy an ETF, or browse the full guide to ETF investing.
Wondering how ARKK fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in ARKK with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how ARKK fits what you actually hold: what it overlaps with, what it leaves you exposed to, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is ARKK?
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ARKK is the ARK Innovation ETF, an actively managed fund run by ARK Invest and led by Cathie Wood. Rather than tracking an index, it holds a concentrated set of companies the manager believes are driving disruptive innovation across genomics, fintech, artificial intelligence, robotics, and electric vehicles.
What is ARKK's expense ratio?
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0.75% per year as of October 2026, far higher than index ETFs like VOO (0.03%) because ARKK is actively managed. On a $10,000 investment, that is about $75 per year in fees. Verify the current figure on the ARK Invest site.
Is ARKK actively managed?
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Yes. ARKK does not track an index. ARK Invest's research team selects and weights the holdings based on its view of disruptive innovation, and the portfolio turns over more than a typical index fund. This is the main reason its fee is higher than passive ETFs.
ARKK vs QQQ: what's the difference?
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QQQ passively tracks the Nasdaq-100 at 0.20% and is dominated by large-cap technology. ARKK is actively managed at roughly 0.75%, far more concentrated, and holds smaller, higher-volatility innovation names. ARKK's outcomes depend on the manager's selection rather than an index. Walnut is not an investment adviser, so this is not a recommendation.
Does ARKK pay a dividend?
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ARKK pays little to no regular dividend, with a yield of 0% as of October 2026. Its holdings are mostly growth companies that reinvest cash flow rather than pay dividends, and the fund is held for capital appreciation rather than income.
What companies are in ARKK?
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A concentrated set of innovation names. As of October 2026 the top 10 are Tesla (about 9.1%), SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies, about 6.2%), Tempus AI, Circle Internet Group, CRISPR Therapeutics, Coinbase, Twist Bioscience, Robinhood, 10x Genomics, and Shopify. Earlier in 2026 the list also included Roku, Palantir, Roblox, UiPath, and Block, which have since dropped out of the top 10. Holdings change frequently because the fund is actively managed. Weights shift daily, verify the current list on the issuer's site.
Why is ARKK so volatile?
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ARKK is concentrated in a small number of high-growth, often unprofitable or early-stage companies, which swing far more than the broad market. It posted very strong returns in 2020 and large drawdowns afterward. High volatility in both directions is a structural feature of its concentrated, innovation-focused mandate. The pattern has continued in 2026: as of October 16, 2026 ARKK's price was up 6.4% year to date, down 3.9% over one year, and down 5.6% over the prior month.
What is ARKK's AUM?
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Approximately $7.9 billion as of October 2026, up from about $6 billion early in the year but still far below its 2021 peak. ARKK took the top spot in daily ETF inflows on October 9, 2026. Assets in actively managed thematic funds move with both performance and investor flows, so verify the current figure on the ARK Invest site.
When was ARKK created?
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October 2014. ARKK is ARK Invest's flagship fund and helped popularize actively managed thematic ETFs. It drew widespread attention after strong 2020 returns and a steep decline in the years that followed.
How do I buy ARKK?
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ARKK trades like any stock during US market hours. Buy it through any broker: Robinhood, Fidelity, Schwab, Public, M1, or others. Fractional shares are supported at most modern brokers. Connect your broker to Walnut and the AI can show how a concentrated fund like ARKK fits with what you already own.
Is ARKK a good investment?
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ARKK is a high-fee, high-volatility actively managed bet on disruptive innovation whose returns depend on the manager's calls. Recent trades show how active that is: in October 2026 ARK bought CoreWeave and Rocket Lab after sharp declines, sold Meta and AMD, and added healthcare and gene-editing names such as CRISPR Therapeutics and Intellia. Whether it fits your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance, time horizon, and what else you own. Walnut is not an investment adviser, so this is not a recommendation.
How do I compare ARKK to similar ETFs?
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Put a few fields side by side: the expense ratio (fees compound over decades), the index or strategy it tracks, the top holdings and how much they overlap with what you already own, the dividend yield, and the AUM, liquidity, and bid-ask spread that affect trading costs. For index funds, tracking error (how closely it follows its index) and tax efficiency matter too. ARKK's figures are above; the full method is in Walnut's guide on how to compare ETFs.
Guides that feature ARKK
ARKK is one of the names covered in these guides. Each one puts the fund next to its peers so you can see where it fits rather than judging it alone.
Related ETFs
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Holdings weights and fund statistics on this page are approximations stamped to October 2026; verify current figures against ARK Invest's fund page or your broker before investing.