GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

GJGB.L (VanEck Junior Gold Miners UCITS ETF) and XGDG.L (Xtrackers IE Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC Securities) are both exchange-traded funds - GJGB.L is a Gold fund tracking the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index, while XGDG.L is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Gold (GBP Hedged). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GJGB.L returned 18.91%/yr vs 17.04%/yr for XGDG.L. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. GJGB.L charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.28%/yr for XGDG.L.

Performance

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in VanEck Junior Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GJGB.L) and Xtrackers IE Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC Securities (XGDG.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

GJGB.L is traded in GBP, while XGDG.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the XGDG.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GJGB.L achieves a -1.48% return, which is significantly lower than XGDG.L's 3.04% return.

GJGB.L

• 1D: 0.69%
• 1M: -7.95%
• YTD: -1.48%
• 6M: 6.02%
• 1Y: 64.29%
• 3Y*: 42.48%
• 5Y*: 18.91%
• 10Y*: —

XGDG.L

• 1D: 0.66%
• 1M: -4.84%
• YTD: 3.04%
• 6M: 5.32%
• 1Y: 31.32%
• 3Y*: 30.11%
• 5Y*: 17.04%
• 10Y*: —

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

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
GJGB.L VanEck Junior Gold Miners UCITS ETF	-1.48%	156.51%	14.83%	1.67%	-2.76%	-22.00%	6.19%
XGDG.L Xtrackers IE Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC Securities	3.04%	63.15%	25.16%	11.50%	-1.40%	-5.50%	6.91%

Correlation

The correlation between GJGB.L and XGDG.L is 0.80, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.80
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.75
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2020	0.75

The correlation between GJGB.L and XGDG.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

GJGB.L

GJGB.L Risk / Return Rank: 40
GJGB.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
GJGB.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
GJGB.L Omega Ratio Rank: 38
GJGB.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
GJGB.L Martin Ratio Rank: 35

XGDG.L

XGDG.L Risk / Return Rank: 33
XGDG.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 34
XGDG.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
XGDG.L Omega Ratio Rank: 37
XGDG.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
XGDG.L Martin Ratio Rank: 31

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.

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Junior Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GJGB.L) and Xtrackers IE Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC Securities (XGDG.L). 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.

	GJGB.L	XGDG.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.43	1.22	+0.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.92	1.63	+0.30
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.24	+0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.18	1.66	+0.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.30	4.40	+0.90
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GJGB.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.43, which is comparable to the XGDG.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GJGB.L and XGDG.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GJGB.L	XGDG.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.43	1.22	+0.22
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.51	0.98	-0.47
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.40	0.87	-0.47

Drawdowns

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GJGB.L drawdown since its inception was -49.12%, which is greater than XGDG.L's maximum drawdown of -23.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GJGB.L and XGDG.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	GJGB.L	XGDG.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.12%	-23.31%	-25.81%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-29.95%	-18.55%	-11.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.95%	-18.55%	-11.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.65%	-21.90%	-14.75%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-27.14%	-16.27%	-10.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-22.35%	-8.24%	-14.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.37%	6.99%	+5.38%

Volatility

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Volatility Comparison

VanEck Junior Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GJGB.L) has a higher volatility of 16.00% compared to Xtrackers IE Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC Securities (XGDG.L) at 6.31%. This indicates that GJGB.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XGDG.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GJGB.L	XGDG.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	16.00%	6.31%	+9.69%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.81%	22.33%	+14.48%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.62%	25.24%	+20.38%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	36.94%	17.42%	+19.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.80%	17.30%	+19.50%

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

GJGB.L has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than XGDG.L's 0.28% expense ratio.

Dividends

GJGB.L vs. XGDG.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither GJGB.L nor XGDG.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GJGB.L and XGDG.L in my portfolio?

GJGB.L and XGDG.L have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, GJGB.L or XGDG.L?

On fees, XGDG.L is cheaper at 0.28% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, GJGB.L or XGDG.L?

XGDG.L is cheaper with a 0.28% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for GJGB.L.

What is the main difference between GJGB.L and XGDG.L?

GJGB.L is categorized as Gold, while XGDG.L is Precious Metals. GJGB.L tracks MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index, while XGDG.L tracks Gold (GBP Hedged). They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for GJGB.L and 0.28% for XGDG.L.