GLDI vs. AAAU
GLDI (Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN) and AAAU (Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF) are both Precious Metals funds - GLDI tracks the Credit Suisse NASDAQ Gold FLOWS 103 Index while AAAU tracks the LBMA Gold PM Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GLDI returned 11.15%/yr vs 18.39%/yr for AAAU. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. GLDI charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for AAAU.
Performance
GLDI vs. AAAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GLDI achieves a 2.06% return, which is significantly lower than AAAU's 2.94% return.
GLDI
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- 0.90%
- YTD
- 2.06%
- 6M
- 4.42%
- 1Y
- 21.23%
- 3Y*
- 19.54%
- 5Y*
- 11.15%
- 10Y*
- 8.99%
AAAU
- 1D
- -1.02%
- 1M
- -1.68%
- YTD
- 2.94%
- 6M
- 5.50%
- 1Y
- 32.29%
- 3Y*
- 31.37%
- 5Y*
- 18.39%
- 10Y*
- —
GLDI vs. AAAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLDI Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN | 2.06% | 34.25% | 17.76% | 8.93% | -1.11% | -3.42% | 23.50% | 14.40% | 9.04% |
AAAU Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | 2.94% | 64.06% | 26.91% | 12.96% | -0.50% | -4.01% | 25.02% | 18.17% | 9.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between GLDI and AAAU is 0.85, 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 | 0.85 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 16, 2018 | 0.81 |
The correlation between GLDI and AAAU has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.87 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
GLDI vs. AAAU — Risk / Return Rank
GLDI
AAAU
GLDI vs. AAAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN (GLDI) and Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU). 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.
| GLDI | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.25 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.55 | 1.70 | -0.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.07 | 4.21 | +1.86 |
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
| GLDI | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.46 | 1.23 | +0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.99 | 1.04 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | 1.09 | -0.72 |
Drawdowns
GLDI vs. AAAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GLDI drawdown since its inception was -32.26%, which is greater than AAAU's maximum drawdown of -21.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GLDI and AAAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GLDI | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -32.26% | -21.63% | -10.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.73% | -19.13% | +5.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.73% | -19.13% | +5.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.07% | -20.94% | +6.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.94% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.37% | -17.68% | +10.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.00% | -6.18% | -7.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.50% | 7.69% | -4.19% |
Volatility
GLDI vs. AAAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN (GLDI) is 3.88%, while Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that GLDI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AAAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GLDI | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.88% | 5.50% | -1.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.87% | 22.94% | -10.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.57% | 26.33% | -11.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.31% | 17.83% | -6.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.35% | 16.99% | -5.64% |
GLDI vs. AAAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
GLDI has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than AAAU's 0.18% expense ratio.
Dividends
GLDI vs. AAAU - Dividend Comparison
GLDI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 22.37%, while AAAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAAU Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
GLDI Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN | 22.37% | 16.15% | 10.45% | 10.02% | 13.73% | 10.65% | 14.25% | 7.25% | 5.33% | 7.77% | 17.26% | 10.07% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GLDI and AAAU have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AAAU has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to GLDI (3.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GLDI dropped -32.26% vs AAAU's -21.63%.
On 5-year performance, AAAU leads with 18.39% vs 11.15% for GLDI. On fees, AAAU is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, GLDI has been the lower-risk option at 3.88%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, AAAU has performed better with a 18.39% return vs 11.15%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AAAU is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for GLDI.
GLDI has the higher dividend yield at 22.37%, compared with 0.00% for AAAU.
GLDI tracks Credit Suisse NASDAQ Gold FLOWS 103 Index, while AAAU tracks LBMA Gold PM Price. They also come from different issuers: Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for GLDI and 0.18% for AAAU.
GLDI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.46 vs 1.23), 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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