AIA vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
AIA and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AIA is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P Asia 50. It was launched on Nov 13, 2007. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. Both AIA and IAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
AIA vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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AIA vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AIA iShares Asia 50 ETF | 10.14% | 47.79% | 20.26% | 4.32% | -24.08% | -10.91% | 33.73% | 22.21% | -14.22% | 45.00% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 10.48% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with AIA having a 10.14% return and IAU slightly higher at 10.48%. Over the past 10 years, AIA has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 11.95%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 14.27% annualized return.
AIA
- 1D
- 1.18%
- 1M
- -7.60%
- YTD
- 10.14%
- 6M
- 14.00%
- 1Y
- 51.63%
- 3Y*
- 23.25%
- 5Y*
- 5.17%
- 10Y*
- 11.95%
IAU
- 1D
- 1.72%
- 1M
- -10.66%
- YTD
- 10.48%
- 6M
- 23.05%
- 1Y
- 52.36%
- 3Y*
- 33.88%
- 5Y*
- 22.19%
- 10Y*
- 14.27%
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AIA vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
AIA has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
AIA vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
AIA
IAU
AIA vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| AIA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.96 | 1.90 | +0.06 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.56 | 2.33 | +0.22 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.35 | +0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.15 | 2.72 | +0.44 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.29 | 9.95 | +2.33 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| AIA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.96 | 1.90 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.21 | 1.26 | -1.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | 0.90 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 0.65 | -0.39 |
Correlation
The correlation between AIA and IAU is 0.14, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
AIA vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
AIA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.27%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AIA iShares Asia 50 ETF | 2.27% | 2.50% | 2.78% | 2.07% | 2.59% | 1.54% | 1.11% | 2.24% | 2.49% | 1.45% | 2.29% | 2.88% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
AIA vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AIA drawdown since its inception was -60.89%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AIA and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AIA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.89% | -45.14% | -15.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.52% | -19.18% | +2.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -51.12% | -20.93% | -30.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -54.64% | -21.82% | -32.82% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.68% | -11.71% | +2.03% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.81% | -15.98% | -0.83% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.28% | 5.23% | -0.95% |
Volatility
AIA vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) has a higher volatility of 11.21% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 10.44%. This indicates that AIA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AIA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.21% | 10.44% | +0.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.49% | 24.15% | -4.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.41% | 27.64% | -1.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.87% | 17.70% | +7.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.19% | 15.83% | +7.36% |