- ISIN
- US9210781012
- CUSIP
- 921078101
- Issuer
- VanEck
- Inception Date
- May 16, 2014
- Region
- Global (Global)
- Category
- Gold, Precious Metals
- Leveraged
- 1x (No leverage)
- Index Tracked
- LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt)
- Domicile
- United States
- Distribution Policy
- Accumulating
- Asset Class
- Commodity
- Assets Under Management
- $3B
Share Price Chart
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Performance
OUNZ Performance Chart
VanEck Merk Gold ETF (OUNZ) is down 2.9% since the beginning of the year. OUNZ is currently trading at $40 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of OUNZ shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $2,331.
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Returns By Period
VanEck Merk Gold ETF (OUNZ) has returned -2.87% so far this year and 24.20% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, OUNZ has returned 11.90% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.88% annually.
VanEck Merk Gold ETF
- 1D
- -0.64%
- 1M
- -7.06%
- YTD
- -2.87%
- 6M
- -5.69%
- 1Y
- 24.20%
- 3Y*
- 29.41%
- 5Y*
- 18.44%
- 10Y*
- 11.90%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- YTD
- 9.16%
- 6M
- 8.64%
- 1Y
- 25.22%
- 3Y*
- 19.78%
- 5Y*
- 11.99%
- 10Y*
- 13.88%
OUNZ Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since May 16, 2014, OUNZ's average daily return is +0.04%, while the average monthly return is +0.88%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 6.6 years.
Historically, 52% of months were positive and 48% were negative. The best month was Jan 2026 with a return of +12.4%, while the worst month was Mar 2026 at -11.1%. The longest winning streak lasted 7 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 7 months.
On a daily basis, OUNZ closed higher 52% of trading days. The best single day was Feb 3, 2026 with a return of +6.1%, while the worst single day was Jan 30, 2026 at -10.1%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12.42% | 8.62% | -11.06% | -1.47% | -1.55% | -7.80% | -2.87% | ||||||
| 2025 | 6.92% | 1.77% | 9.48% | 5.37% | -0.00% | 0.41% | -0.60% | 4.95% | 11.78% | 3.58% | 5.43% | 2.14% | 63.95% |
| 2024 | -1.40% | 0.46% | 8.65% | 3.07% | 1.63% | -0.18% | 5.39% | 2.11% | 5.05% | 4.37% | -3.09% | -1.48% | 26.75% |
| 2023 | 5.65% | -5.30% | 7.91% | 0.94% | -1.37% | -2.18% | 2.26% | -1.26% | -4.74% | 7.41% | 2.52% | 1.32% | 12.83% |
| 2022 | -1.57% | 6.06% | 1.45% | -2.18% | -3.26% | -1.63% | -2.51% | -2.89% | -2.81% | -1.80% | 8.33% | 3.09% | -0.51% |
| 2021 | -3.08% | -6.24% | -1.19% | 3.55% | 7.67% | -7.12% | 2.50% | -0.00% | -3.17% | 1.40% | -0.58% | 3.19% | -4.00% |
Benchmark Metrics
VanEck Merk Gold ETF has an annualized alpha of 10.56%, beta of 0.05, and R2 of 0.00 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since May 16, 2014.
- This ETF captured 25.97% of S&P 500 Index gains and tended to rise during its downturns (downside capture of -12.91%) - a profile typical of hedging or uncorrelated assets.
- Beta of 0.05 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.00 this ETF is largely uncorrelated with S&P 500 Index - low beta reflects independence, not downside protection. See the Volatility section for a true picture of this ETF's risk.
- R2 of 0.00 means this ETF moves largely independently of S&P 500 Index - capture ratios reflect limited market correlation rather than active downside protection. Consider using a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 10.56%
- Beta
- 0.05
- R²
- 0.00
- Upside Capture
- 25.97%
- Downside Capture
- -12.91%
Expense Ratio
OUNZ has an expense ratio of 0.25%, which is considered low.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
OUNZ ranks 24 for risk / return — below 24% of ETFs on our site. The returns aren't fully compensating for the risk involved. This isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, but factor it into your decision — especially if you're risk-averse.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Merk Gold ETF (OUNZ) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| OUNZ | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.50 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.37 | -0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.00 | 2.78 | -1.79 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.72 | 12.44 | -9.72 |
Dividends
Dividend History
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the VanEck Merk Gold ETF. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the VanEck Merk Gold ETF was 24.36%, occurring on Jun 10, 2026. The portfolio has not yet recovered.
The current VanEck Merk Gold ETF drawdown is 22.35%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2026 bear market2026 | -24.36%Jun 2026 | 4mo 11d | — | 4mo 24dJan 2026 - now |
2015 bear market2015 | -21.77%Dec 2015 | 1y 5mo | 6mo 21d | 1y 11moJul 2014 - Jul 2016 |
Bear market2022 | -21.76%Sep 2022 | 2y 1mo | 1y 5mo | 3y 6moAug 2020 - Mar 2024 |
2016 correction2016 | -17.58%Dec 2016 | 5mo 7d | 2y 6mo | 2y 11moJul 2016 - Jun 2019 |
COVID crash2020 | -12.51%Mar 2020 | 9d | 21d | 1moMar 2020 - Apr 2020 |
Drawdown Indicators
| OUNZ | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.36% | -56.78% | +32.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.36% | -9.10% | -15.26% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.36% | -18.90% | -5.46% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.36% | -25.43% | +1.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.36% | -33.92% | +9.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.35% | -1.80% | -20.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.62% | -10.71% | +3.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.92% | 2.03% | +6.89% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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