EDV vs. GLD
EDV (Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF) and GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - EDV is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year Equal Par Bond Index, while GLD is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EDV returned -3.49%/yr vs 12.15%/yr for GLD. At a 0.18 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EDV charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for GLD.
Performance
EDV vs. GLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EDV achieves a 0.01% return, which is significantly higher than GLD's -2.47% return. Over the past 10 years, EDV has underperformed GLD with an annualized return of -3.49%, while GLD has yielded a comparatively higher 12.15% annualized return.
EDV
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- 2.28%
- YTD
- 0.01%
- 6M
- 0.03%
- 1Y
- 3.37%
- 3Y*
- -4.76%
- 5Y*
- -10.27%
- 10Y*
- -3.49%
GLD
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- -9.52%
- YTD
- -2.47%
- 6M
- -2.25%
- 1Y
- 22.21%
- 3Y*
- 28.89%
- 5Y*
- 17.08%
- 10Y*
- 12.15%
EDV vs. GLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDV Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 0.01% | 0.65% | -12.78% | 1.65% | -39.15% | -6.19% | 23.59% | 18.67% | -3.40% | 13.94% |
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | -2.47% | 63.68% | 26.66% | 12.69% | -0.77% | -4.15% | 24.81% | 17.86% | -1.94% | 12.81% |
Correlation
The correlation between EDV and GLD is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 13, 2007 | 0.18 |
The correlation between EDV and GLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (1 year) to 0.29 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EDV vs. GLD — Risk / Return Rank
EDV
GLD
EDV vs. GLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF (EDV) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). 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.
| EDV | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.75 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 1.18 | -0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.14 | 0.98 | -0.84 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.31 | 2.81 | -2.50 |
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Drawdowns
EDV vs. GLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EDV drawdown since its inception was -59.96%, which is greater than GLD's maximum drawdown of -45.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EDV and GLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EDV | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.96% | -45.56% | -14.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.54% | -24.46% | +11.92% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.99% | -24.46% | -2.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.03% | -24.46% | -30.57% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -59.96% | -24.46% | -35.50% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -54.12% | -22.05% | -32.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.48% | -16.16% | -7.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.55% | 8.49% | -2.94% |
Volatility
EDV vs. GLD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF (EDV) is 4.21%, while SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a volatility of 7.79%. This indicates that EDV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EDV | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.21% | 7.79% | -3.58% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.89% | 24.10% | -14.21% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.54% | 27.37% | -12.83% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.62% | 18.22% | +3.40% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.82% | 16.08% | +3.74% |
EDV vs. GLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
EDV has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than GLD's 0.40% expense ratio.
Dividends
EDV vs. GLD - Dividend Comparison
EDV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.95%, while GLD has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDV Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 4.95% | 4.94% | 4.65% | 3.81% | 3.28% | 1.95% | 5.54% | 3.51% | 2.90% | 2.92% | 5.32% | 4.24% |
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EDV and GLD have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GLD has higher volatility (7.79%) compared to EDV (4.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EDV dropped -59.96% vs GLD's -45.56%.
On 10-year performance, GLD leads with 12.15% vs -3.49% for EDV. On fees, EDV is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, EDV has been the lower-risk option at 4.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GLD has performed better with a 12.15% return vs -3.49%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
EDV is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for GLD.
EDV has the higher dividend yield at 4.95%, compared with 0.00% for GLD.
EDV is categorized as Government Bonds, while GLD is Gold. EDV tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year Equal Par Bond Index, while GLD tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for EDV and 0.40% for GLD.
GLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.87 vs 0.12), 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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