DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE
DFEN.DE (VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A) and XGDU.DE (Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities) are both exchange-traded funds - DFEN.DE is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the MarketVector Global Defense Industry Index, while XGDU.DE is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Gold. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, DFEN.DE returned 37.67%/yr vs 26.92%/yr for XGDU.DE. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DFEN.DE charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for XGDU.DE.
Performance
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFEN.DE achieves a 1.84% return, which is significantly higher than XGDU.DE's -0.05% return.
DFEN.DE
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -0.93%
- YTD
- 1.84%
- 6M
- 3.89%
- 1Y
- 10.60%
- 3Y*
- 37.67%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
XGDU.DE
- 1D
- -0.29%
- 1M
- -6.50%
- YTD
- -0.05%
- 6M
- 3.67%
- 1Y
- 27.84%
- 3Y*
- 26.92%
- 5Y*
- 19.07%
- 10Y*
- —
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DFEN.DE VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A | 1.84% | 50.76% | 51.97% | 22.65% |
XGDU.DE Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities | -0.05% | 49.09% | 34.21% | 1.09% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFEN.DE and XGDU.DE is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 5, 2023 | 0.14 |
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Return for Risk
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE — Risk / Return Rank
DFEN.DE
XGDU.DE
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A (DFEN.DE) and Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE). 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.
| DFEN.DE | XGDU.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.24 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.62 | 1.62 | -1.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.46 | 3.29 | -1.83 |
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
| DFEN.DE | XGDU.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.46 | 0.88 | -0.42 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 1.00 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.84 | 0.72 | +1.12 |
Drawdowns
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFEN.DE drawdown since its inception was -18.60%, roughly equal to the maximum XGDU.DE drawdown of -18.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFEN.DE and XGDU.DE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFEN.DE | XGDU.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.60% | -18.90% | +0.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.60% | -17.34% | -1.26% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.60% | -17.34% | -1.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -17.34% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.99% | -17.32% | +0.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.20% | -6.73% | +3.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.93% | 8.56% | -0.63% |
Volatility
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A (DFEN.DE) has a higher volatility of 7.01% compared to Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE) at 5.22%. This indicates that DFEN.DE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XGDU.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFEN.DE | XGDU.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.01% | 5.22% | +1.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.21% | 20.23% | -1.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.92% | 31.93% | -7.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.20% | 18.78% | +2.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.20% | 18.62% | +2.58% |
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFEN.DE has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than XGDU.DE's 0.12% expense ratio.
Dividends
DFEN.DE vs. XGDU.DE - Dividend Comparison
Neither DFEN.DE nor XGDU.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
DFEN.DE and XGDU.DE have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XGDU.DE is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XGDU.DE is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for DFEN.DE.
DFEN.DE is categorized as Aerospace & Defense, while XGDU.DE is Precious Metals. DFEN.DE tracks MarketVector Global Defense Industry Index, while XGDU.DE tracks Gold. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for DFEN.DE and 0.12% for XGDU.DE.
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