BGRN vs. IAU
BGRN (iShares USD Green Bond ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - BGRN is a Global Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg MSCI USD Green Bond Select Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BGRN returned 0.54%/yr vs 18.32%/yr for IAU. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BGRN charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
BGRN vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BGRN achieves a 0.43% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 2.98% return.
BGRN
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 0.43%
- 6M
- 0.49%
- 1Y
- 5.19%
- 3Y*
- 4.75%
- 5Y*
- 0.54%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU
- 1D
- -0.98%
- 1M
- -1.62%
- YTD
- 2.98%
- 6M
- 5.50%
- 1Y
- 32.20%
- 3Y*
- 31.29%
- 5Y*
- 18.32%
- 10Y*
- 13.31%
BGRN vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGRN iShares USD Green Bond ETF | 0.43% | 7.27% | 2.77% | 6.50% | -13.06% | -2.80% | 6.86% | 9.70% | 1.14% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 2.98% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | 5.58% |
Correlation
The correlation between BGRN and IAU is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 28, 2018 | 0.31 |
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Return for Risk
BGRN vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
BGRN
IAU
BGRN vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares USD Green Bond ETF (BGRN) 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.
| BGRN | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.24 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.34 | 1.69 | +0.65 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.85 | 4.19 | +3.66 |
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
| BGRN | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.76 | 1.23 | +0.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 | 1.03 | -0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.84 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.45 | 0.62 | -0.17 |
Drawdowns
BGRN vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BGRN drawdown since its inception was -19.16%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BGRN and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BGRN | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.16% | -45.14% | +25.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.23% | -19.18% | +16.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.55% | -19.18% | +14.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.73% | -20.93% | +2.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -21.82% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.83% | -17.70% | +16.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.79% | -15.96% | +10.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 7.71% | -7.05% |
Volatility
BGRN vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares USD Green Bond ETF (BGRN) is 1.06%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that BGRN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| BGRN | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.06% | 5.50% | -4.44% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.24% | 23.02% | -20.78% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.97% | 26.42% | -23.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.46% | 17.95% | -12.49% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.00% | 15.90% | -10.90% |
BGRN vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
BGRN has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
BGRN vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
BGRN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.29%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGRN iShares USD Green Bond ETF | 4.29% | 4.21% | 4.07% | 3.52% | 2.66% | 0.78% | 1.82% | 3.66% | 0.21% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BGRN and IAU have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to BGRN (1.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BGRN dropped -19.16% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 18.32% vs 0.54% for BGRN. On fees, BGRN is cheaper at 0.20% per year. On volatility, BGRN has been the lower-risk option at 1.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IAU has performed better with a 18.32% return vs 0.54%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BGRN is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
BGRN has the higher dividend yield at 4.29%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
BGRN is categorized as Global Bonds, while IAU is Gold. BGRN tracks Bloomberg MSCI USD Green Bond Select Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for BGRN and 0.25% for IAU.
BGRN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.76 vs 1.23), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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