GDXU vs. DUST
Compare and contrast key facts about MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN (GDXU) and Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares (DUST).
GDXU and DUST are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GDXU is a passively managed fund by BMO that tracks the performance of the S-Network MicroSectors Gold Miners Index. It was launched on Dec 2, 2020. DUST is a passively managed fund by Direxion that tracks the performance of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (-300%). It was launched on Apr 1, 2020. Both GDXU and DUST 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
GDXU vs. DUST - Performance Comparison
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GDXU vs. DUST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDXU MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN | -17.35% | 796.47% | -18.60% | -21.36% | -62.82% | -54.93% | 4.66% |
DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares | -30.64% | -88.72% | -29.51% | -27.63% | -22.70% | -4.82% | -5.87% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GDXU achieves a -17.35% return, which is significantly higher than DUST's -30.64% return.
GDXU
- 1D
- 21.36%
- 1M
- -58.05%
- YTD
- -17.35%
- 6M
- -1.70%
- 1Y
- 237.00%
- 3Y*
- 56.52%
- 5Y*
- 3.51%
- 10Y*
- —
DUST
- 1D
- -13.77%
- 1M
- 45.77%
- YTD
- -30.64%
- 6M
- -52.34%
- 1Y
- -85.24%
- 3Y*
- -62.31%
- 5Y*
- -51.05%
- 10Y*
- -58.51%
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GDXU vs. DUST - Expense Ratio Comparison
GDXU has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is lower than DUST's 1.07% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GDXU vs. DUST — Risk / Return Rank
GDXU
DUST
GDXU vs. DUST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN (GDXU) and Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares (DUST). 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.
| GDXU | DUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.71 | -0.93 | +2.64 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.24 | -2.36 | +4.59 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 0.75 | +0.57 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.32 | -0.93 | +4.26 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.41 | -1.28 | +10.68 |
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
| GDXU | DUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.71 | -0.93 | +2.64 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 | -0.72 | +0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | -0.66 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.03 | -0.51 | +0.48 |
Correlation
The correlation between GDXU and DUST is -0.99. This indicates that the assets' prices tend to move in opposite directions. Negative correlation can be particularly beneficial for diversification and risk management, as one asset may offset the losses of the other during market fluctuations.
Dividends
GDXU vs. DUST - Dividend Comparison
GDXU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while DUST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.40%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDXU MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares | 9.40% | 12.51% | 4.99% | 4.47% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3.60% | 2.50% | 0.37% |
Drawdowns
GDXU vs. DUST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GDXU drawdown since its inception was -94.39%, smaller than the maximum DUST drawdown of -100.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDXU and DUST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GDXU | DUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -94.39% | -100.00% | +5.61% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -73.16% | -91.57% | +18.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -93.34% | -98.68% | +5.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -99.99% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -61.64% | -100.00% | +38.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -69.98% | -83.16% | +13.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 25.85% | 67.00% | -41.15% |
Volatility
GDXU vs. DUST - Volatility Comparison
MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN (GDXU) has a higher volatility of 57.72% compared to Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 2X Shares (DUST) at 35.65%. This indicates that GDXU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DUST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GDXU | DUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 57.72% | 35.65% | +22.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 121.60% | 73.40% | +48.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 139.74% | 91.64% | +48.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 108.93% | 70.84% | +38.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 108.91% | 89.14% | +19.77% |