GDXJ vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
GDXJ and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GDXJ is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index. It was launched on Nov 10, 2009. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. Both GDXJ and IAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
GDXJ vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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GDXJ vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDXJ VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF | 10.08% | 172.28% | 15.67% | 7.12% | -14.53% | -21.25% | 30.40% | 40.44% | -11.02% | 8.22% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 10.48% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with GDXJ having a 10.08% return and IAU slightly higher at 10.48%. Over the past 10 years, GDXJ has outperformed IAU with an annualized return of 17.88%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively lower 14.27% annualized return.
GDXJ
- 1D
- 4.34%
- 1M
- -19.21%
- YTD
- 10.08%
- 6M
- 28.26%
- 1Y
- 125.16%
- 3Y*
- 49.66%
- 5Y*
- 23.75%
- 10Y*
- 17.88%
IAU
- 1D
- 1.72%
- 1M
- -10.66%
- YTD
- 10.48%
- 6M
- 23.05%
- 1Y
- 52.36%
- 3Y*
- 33.88%
- 5Y*
- 22.19%
- 10Y*
- 14.27%
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GDXJ vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
GDXJ has a 0.54% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GDXJ vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
GDXJ
IAU
GDXJ vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) 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.
| GDXJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.47 | 1.90 | +0.57 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.63 | 2.33 | +0.30 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 1.35 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.77 | 2.72 | +1.05 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.05 | 9.95 | +3.09 |
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
| GDXJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.47 | 1.90 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 | 1.26 | -0.67 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | 0.90 | -0.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.08 | 0.65 | -0.57 |
Correlation
The correlation between GDXJ and IAU is 0.75, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
GDXJ vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
GDXJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.12%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDXJ VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF | 2.12% | 2.33% | 2.61% | 0.72% | 0.51% | 1.78% | 1.58% | 0.39% | 0.45% | 0.03% | 4.78% | 0.72% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
GDXJ vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GDXJ drawdown since its inception was -88.66%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDXJ and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GDXJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -88.66% | -45.14% | -43.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -32.92% | -19.18% | -13.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -51.76% | -20.93% | -30.83% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -57.77% | -21.82% | -35.95% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -19.81% | -11.71% | -8.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -60.90% | -15.98% | -44.92% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.51% | 5.23% | +4.28% |
Volatility
GDXJ vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) has a higher volatility of 19.46% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 10.44%. This indicates that GDXJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| GDXJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 19.46% | 10.44% | +9.02% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 42.52% | 24.15% | +18.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 50.91% | 27.64% | +23.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 40.57% | 17.70% | +22.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 44.46% | 15.83% | +28.63% |