CGL.TO vs. CTA
CGL.TO (iShares Gold Bullion ETF (CAD-Hedged)) and CTA (Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CGL.TO is a Gold fund tracking the Gold Bullion, while CTA is a Systematic Trend fund actively managed by Simplify. CGL.TO is passively managed, while CTA is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, CGL.TO returned 27.16%/yr vs 11.05%/yr for CTA. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions. CGL.TO charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.78%/yr for CTA.
Performance
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
CGL.TO is traded in CAD, while CTA is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the CTA values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CGL.TO achieves a -3.19% return, which is significantly lower than CTA's 8.25% return.
CGL.TO
- 1D
- 0.25%
- 1M
- -9.62%
- YTD
- -3.19%
- 6M
- -3.25%
- 1Y
- 19.93%
- 3Y*
- 27.16%
- 5Y*
- 15.73%
- 10Y*
- 10.99%
CTA
- 1D
- -1.04%
- 1M
- -8.70%
- YTD
- 8.25%
- 6M
- 10.03%
- 1Y
- 9.39%
- 3Y*
- 11.05%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CGL.TO iShares Gold Bullion ETF (CAD-Hedged) | -3.19% | 60.08% | 25.70% | 11.26% | -9.85% |
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF | 8.25% | -3.72% | 34.66% | -4.56% | 15.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between CGL.TO and CTA is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 8, 2022 | -0.04 |
The correlation between CGL.TO and CTA shifts across timeframes, from -0.04 (all time) to 0.14 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
CGL.TO vs. CTA — Risk / Return Rank
CGL.TO
CTA
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Bullion ETF (CAD-Hedged) (CGL.TO) and Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA). 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.
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.
| CGL.TO | CTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.39 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.08 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.87 | 0.74 | +0.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.49 | 1.68 | +0.81 |
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Drawdowns
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CGL.TO drawdown since its inception was -45.96%, which is greater than CTA's maximum drawdown of -19.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CGL.TO and CTA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CGL.TO | CTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.96% | -19.61% | -26.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.93% | -10.86% | -14.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.93% | -14.22% | -10.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.93% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.93% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.50% | -10.86% | -11.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.30% | -6.84% | -13.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.66% | 4.78% | +3.88% |
Volatility
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Bullion ETF (CAD-Hedged) (CGL.TO) has a higher volatility of 7.67% compared to Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) at 6.26%. This indicates that CGL.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CTA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CGL.TO | CTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.67% | 6.26% | +1.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.08% | 18.04% | +6.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.61% | 20.73% | +6.88% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.54% | 18.00% | +0.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.53% | 18.00% | -1.47% |
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Expense Ratio Comparison
CGL.TO has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is lower than CTA's 0.78% expense ratio.
Dividends
CGL.TO vs. CTA - Dividend Comparison
CGL.TO has not paid dividends to shareholders, while CTA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.13%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CGL.TO iShares Gold Bullion ETF (CAD-Hedged) | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF | 5.13% | 3.19% | 4.80% | 7.78% | 6.58% |
Frequently Asked Questions
CGL.TO and CTA have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, CGL.TO is cheaper at 0.55% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
CGL.TO is cheaper with a 0.55% expense ratio, compared with 0.78% for CTA.
CGL.TO is categorized as Gold, while CTA is Systematic Trend. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Simplify. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for CGL.TO and 0.78% for CTA.
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