GLD vs. SGLN.L
Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L).
GLD and SGLN.L are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GLD is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price PM. It was launched on Nov 18, 2004. SGLN.L is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Apr 8, 2011. Both GLD and SGLN.L 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
GLD vs. SGLN.L - Performance Comparison
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GLD vs. SGLN.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | 8.57% | 63.68% | 26.66% | 12.69% | -0.77% | -4.15% | 24.81% | 17.86% | -1.94% | 12.81% |
SGLN.L iShares Physical Gold ETC | 7.34% | 65.25% | 26.06% | 12.89% | -0.12% | -3.46% | 23.28% | 19.23% | -1.55% | 11.36% |
Different Trading Currencies
GLD is traded in USD, while SGLN.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the SGLN.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GLD achieves a 8.57% return, which is significantly higher than SGLN.L's 5.43% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with GLD having a 13.92% annualized return and SGLN.L not far behind at 13.90%.
GLD
- 1D
- 3.79%
- 1M
- -11.05%
- YTD
- 8.57%
- 6M
- 21.05%
- 1Y
- 49.33%
- 3Y*
- 32.92%
- 5Y*
- 21.58%
- 10Y*
- 13.92%
SGLN.L
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -13.24%
- YTD
- 5.43%
- 6M
- 18.30%
- 1Y
- 45.49%
- 3Y*
- 31.95%
- 5Y*
- 21.31%
- 10Y*
- 13.90%
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GLD vs. SGLN.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
Return for Risk
GLD vs. SGLN.L — Risk / Return Rank
GLD
SGLN.L
GLD vs. SGLN.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.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.
| GLD | SGLN.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.79 | 1.73 | +0.05 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.21 | 2.21 | 0.00 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.32 | +0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.68 | 2.58 | +0.10 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.90 | 9.91 | -0.01 |
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 | SGLN.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.79 | 1.73 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.22 | 1.24 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.88 | 0.88 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.62 | 0.47 | +0.15 |
Correlation
The correlation between GLD and SGLN.L is 0.78, 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
GLD vs. SGLN.L - Dividend Comparison
Neither GLD nor SGLN.L has paid dividends to shareholders.
Drawdowns
GLD vs. SGLN.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GLD drawdown since its inception was -45.56%, roughly equal to the maximum SGLN.L drawdown of -45.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GLD and SGLN.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GLD | SGLN.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.56% | -41.71% | -3.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.21% | -17.57% | -1.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.03% | -17.57% | -3.46% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.00% | -21.91% | -0.09% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.23% | -11.76% | -1.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.17% | -14.78% | -1.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.20% | 4.24% | +0.96% |
Volatility
GLD vs. SGLN.L - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a higher volatility of 11.06% compared to iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L) at 10.34%. This indicates that GLD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGLN.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GLD | SGLN.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.06% | 10.34% | +0.72% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.30% | 21.57% | +2.73% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.80% | 26.13% | +1.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.74% | 17.26% | +0.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.87% | 15.73% | +0.14% |