The takeaway
Schwab Strategic Trust - Schwab Crypto Economy ETF shows a pronounced seasonal pattern over 4 years of data — strongest in October (+9.5%) and softest in December (−5.1%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 67% of years, averaging +8.0%, about +5.9 pts better than the S&P 500.
The full picture
Schwab Strategic Trust - Schwab Crypto Economy ETF's most dependable month has been October, higher in 4 of 4 years; December has been its least reliable, up just 25% of the time.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win rate % | ||||||||||||
| Median return % | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in June (+8.6 pts); it has trailed the market most in December (−6.1 pts).
“vs S&P” is Schwab Strategic Trust - Schwab Crypto Economy ETF’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating Schwab Strategic Trust - Schwab Crypto Economy ETF’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 4 years, October has closed higher 100% of the time versus 100% across the last 4 years — the pattern is holding.
Figures are the typical (median) October return and how often it rose — the last 4 years versus the last 4(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 4-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
Strip the year back and a single month does the heavy lifting: October, up in all 4 Octobers while the other eleven tend to blur together.
Its average (+9.5%) and median (+9.5%) land within a hair of each other — the tell of steady, year-after-year gains rather than one outlier doing the work. It is among its calmest months, too, its returns swinging least from year to year (a 6.1% spread), and even its worst October in 4 years lost only 3.1% — the gentlest downside anywhere on its calendar. Crucially, the gain is the fund's own rather than a rising tide's: October has cleared the S&P 500 by +8.5 points above the index. That consistency sets it apart from the field, where the average stock manages October only about 53% of the time.
A few other months pull their weight: January, March, and April have also closed higher more often than not. On the other side of the ledger, December has been the soft spot — the weakest of 4 months that average a loss (−5.1%), and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in December, August, and April. Its roughest month on record was a −20.8% November in 2025 — a reminder of how hard even a seasonal name can fall.
The takeaway is less about when to buy than what to expect: October aside, the fund's months offer little reliable tilt. With a short 4-year record and returns that swing hard year to year, the signal is best held loosely.
Short answers on the fund's best month (October), its worst (December), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Yes, to a pronounced degree. Since 2022 its best month (October, +9.5%) has run well ahead of its worst (December, −5.1%) — the heatmap above shows how steady that gap has been year to year.
October has been the strongest, averaging +9.5% and closing higher in all 4 years on record since 2022.
It's the weakest, averaging −5.1% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
Before you trade