GLD vs. BIL
GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) and BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GLD is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM, while BIL is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GLD returned 13.12%/yr vs 2.18%/yr for BIL. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. GLD charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BIL.
Performance
GLD vs. BIL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GLD achieves a 2.92% return, which is significantly higher than BIL's 1.49% return. Over the past 10 years, GLD has outperformed BIL with an annualized return of 13.12%, while BIL has yielded a comparatively lower 2.18% annualized return.
GLD
- 1D
- -0.99%
- 1M
- -1.65%
- YTD
- 2.92%
- 6M
- 5.43%
- 1Y
- 32.04%
- 3Y*
- 31.09%
- 5Y*
- 18.15%
- 10Y*
- 13.12%
BIL
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.49%
- 6M
- 1.77%
- 1Y
- 3.87%
- 3Y*
- 4.64%
- 5Y*
- 3.41%
- 10Y*
- 2.18%
GLD vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | 2.92% | 63.68% | 26.66% | 12.69% | -0.77% | -4.15% | 24.81% | 17.86% | -1.94% | 12.81% |
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 1.49% | 4.15% | 5.19% | 4.94% | 1.40% | -0.10% | 0.40% | 2.03% | 1.74% | 0.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between GLD and BIL is -0.01, 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 | -0.01 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.00 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 31, 2007 | 0.01 |
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Return for Risk
GLD vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank
GLD
BIL
GLD vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). 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.
| GLD | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -18.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -172.56 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 87.91 | -86.66 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.68 | 355.35 | -353.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.15 | 2,817.77 | -2,813.62 |
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
| GLD | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.21 | 19.71 | -18.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.01 | 13.16 | -12.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.83 | 8.52 | -7.70 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.60 | 2.78 | -2.18 |
Drawdowns
GLD vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GLD drawdown since its inception was -45.56%, which is greater than BIL's maximum drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GLD and BIL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GLD | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.56% | -0.78% | -44.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.21% | -0.01% | -19.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.21% | -0.01% | -19.20% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.03% | -0.10% | -20.93% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.00% | -0.21% | -21.79% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.75% | 0.00% | -17.75% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.16% | -0.26% | -15.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.73% | 0.00% | +7.73% |
Volatility
GLD vs. BIL - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a higher volatility of 5.51% compared to SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) at 0.05%. This indicates that GLD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GLD | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.51% | 0.05% | +5.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.16% | 0.13% | +23.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.61% | 0.20% | +26.41% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.00% | 0.26% | +17.74% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.95% | 0.26% | +15.69% |
GLD vs. BIL - Expense Ratio Comparison
GLD has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than BIL's 0.14% expense ratio.
Dividends
GLD vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison
GLD has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.86%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 3.86% | 4.13% | 5.03% | 4.92% | 1.35% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 2.05% | 1.66% | 0.68% | 0.07% |
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GLD and BIL have a correlation of -0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GLD has higher volatility (5.51%) compared to BIL (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GLD dropped -45.56% vs BIL's -0.78%.
On 10-year performance, GLD leads with 13.12% vs 2.18% for BIL. On fees, BIL is cheaper at 0.14% per year. On volatility, BIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. 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 13.12% return vs 2.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BIL is cheaper with a 0.14% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for GLD.
BIL has the higher dividend yield at 3.86%, compared with 0.00% for GLD.
GLD is categorized as Gold, while BIL is Government Bonds. GLD tracks LBMA Gold Price PM, while BIL tracks Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for GLD and 0.14% for BIL.
BIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.71 vs 1.21), 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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