GDGB.L vs. USVN

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

GDGB.L (VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF) and USVN (US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GDGB.L is a Gold fund tracking the MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index, while USVN is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA Current 7-Year US Treasury Index - Benchmark TR Gross. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, GDGB.L returned 35.53%/yr vs 0.96%/yr for USVN. At a correlation of -0.06, they often move in opposite directions. GDGB.L charges 0.53%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for USVN.

Performance

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GDGB.L) and US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF (USVN). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

GDGB.L is traded in GBP, while USVN is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the USVN values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GDGB.L achieves a -6.93% return, which is significantly lower than USVN's -0.03% return.

GDGB.L

• 1D: 5.48%
• 1M: -15.21%
• YTD: -6.93%
• 6M: -6.07%
• 1Y: 49.43%
• 3Y*: 35.53%
• 5Y*: 18.43%
• 10Y*: —

USVN

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 0.13%
• YTD: -0.03%
• 6M: -0.52%
• 1Y: 4.64%
• 3Y*: 0.96%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
GDGB.L VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF	-6.93%	138.26%	11.24%	-2.75%
USVN US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF	-0.03%	-0.01%	1.78%	-2.45%

Correlation

The correlation between GDGB.L and USVN is -0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 28, 2023	-0.06

Return for Risk

GDGB.L vs. USVN — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GDGB.L

GDGB.L Risk / Return Rank: 35
GDGB.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
GDGB.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
GDGB.L Omega Ratio Rank: 36
GDGB.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
GDGB.L Martin Ratio Rank: 32

USVN

USVN Risk / Return Rank: 22
USVN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
USVN Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
USVN Omega Ratio Rank: 20
USVN Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
USVN Martin Ratio Rank: 21

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GDGB.L) and US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF (USVN). 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.

	GDGB.L	USVN	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.21	0.73	+0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.69	1.13	+0.56
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.13	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.50	0.78	+0.72
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.20	1.92	+2.27

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GDGB.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.21, which is higher than the USVN Sharpe Ratio of 0.73. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GDGB.L and USVN, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GDGB.L drawdown since its inception was -40.80%, which is greater than USVN's maximum drawdown of -7.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDGB.L and USVN.

Drawdown Indicators

	GDGB.L	USVN	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.80%	-7.81%	-32.99%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-34.64%	-6.04%	-28.60%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-34.64%	-7.52%	-27.12%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.49%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-30.57%	-3.23%	-27.34%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.54%	-3.65%	-13.89%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.38%	2.43%	+9.95%

Volatility

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Volatility Comparison

VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GDGB.L) has a higher volatility of 14.08% compared to US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF (USVN) at 1.29%. This indicates that GDGB.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USVN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GDGB.L	USVN	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.08%	1.29%	+12.79%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	34.68%	4.92%	+29.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	42.88%	6.44%	+36.44%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	32.90%	7.31%	+25.59%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	32.21%	7.31%	+24.90%

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Expense Ratio Comparison

GDGB.L has a 0.53% expense ratio, which is higher than USVN's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

GDGB.L vs. USVN - Dividend Comparison

GDGB.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while USVN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.74%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
GDGB.L VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USVN US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF	3.74%	3.81%	4.07%	2.91%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GDGB.L and USVN in my portfolio?

GDGB.L and USVN have a correlation of -0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, GDGB.L or USVN?

On fees, USVN is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, GDGB.L or USVN?

USVN is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.53% for GDGB.L.

What is the main difference between GDGB.L and USVN?

GDGB.L is categorized as Gold, while USVN is Government Bonds. GDGB.L tracks MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index, while USVN tracks ICE BofA Current 7-Year US Treasury Index - Benchmark TR Gross. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and US Benchmark Series. Their fees differ too: 0.53% for GDGB.L and 0.15% for USVN.