GLTR vs. IAU
GLTR (Aberdeen Standard Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - GLTR is a Precious Metals fund tracking the ETFS Physical Precious Metals Basket Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GLTR returned 13.17%/yr vs 13.31%/yr for IAU. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. GLTR charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
GLTR vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GLTR achieves a 1.47% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 2.98% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with GLTR having a 13.17% annualized return and IAU not far ahead at 13.31%.
GLTR
- 1D
- -1.81%
- 1M
- -1.45%
- YTD
- 1.47%
- 6M
- 10.73%
- 1Y
- 53.06%
- 3Y*
- 32.36%
- 5Y*
- 15.32%
- 10Y*
- 13.17%
IAU
- 1D
- -0.98%
- 1M
- -1.62%
- YTD
- 2.98%
- 6M
- 5.50%
- 1Y
- 32.20%
- 3Y*
- 31.29%
- 5Y*
- 18.32%
- 10Y*
- 13.31%
GLTR vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLTR Aberdeen Standard Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF | 1.47% | 87.25% | 20.63% | 2.01% | -0.25% | -9.60% | 29.52% | 20.96% | -2.85% | 12.94% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 2.98% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between GLTR and IAU is 0.90, 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 | 0.90 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.90 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2010 | 0.91 |
The correlation between GLTR and IAU has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
GLTR vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
GLTR
IAU
GLTR vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Aberdeen Standard Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF (GLTR) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| GLTR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.19 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.11 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.24 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.80 | 1.69 | +0.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.13 | 4.19 | -0.05 |
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
| GLTR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.42 | 1.23 | +0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 | 1.03 | -0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.64 | 0.84 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.32 | 0.62 | -0.30 |
Drawdowns
GLTR vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GLTR drawdown since its inception was -55.70%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GLTR and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GLTR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.70% | -45.14% | -10.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -29.70% | -19.18% | -10.52% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.70% | -19.18% | -10.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.70% | -20.93% | -8.77% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.70% | -21.82% | -7.88% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -26.86% | -17.70% | -9.16% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -28.83% | -15.96% | -12.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.88% | 7.71% | +5.17% |
Volatility
GLTR vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Aberdeen Standard Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF (GLTR) has a higher volatility of 9.13% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 5.50%. This indicates that GLTR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GLTR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.13% | 5.50% | +3.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.41% | 23.02% | +12.39% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 37.58% | 26.42% | +11.16% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.63% | 17.95% | +5.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.50% | 15.90% | +4.60% |
GLTR vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
GLTR has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
GLTR vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
Neither GLTR nor IAU has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.90, GLTR and IAU move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
GLTR has higher volatility (9.13%) compared to IAU (5.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GLTR dropped -55.70% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 13.31% vs 13.17% for GLTR. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 5.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 13.31% return vs 13.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for GLTR.
GLTR and IAU have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
GLTR is categorized as Precious Metals, while IAU is Gold. GLTR tracks ETFS Physical Precious Metals Basket Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. They also come from different issuers: Aberdeen and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for GLTR and 0.25% for IAU.
GLTR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.42 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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