GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

GOLB.L (Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF) and RMAU.L (The Royal Mint Physical Gold ETC Securities) are both exchange-traded funds - GOLB.L is a Gold fund tracking the EMIX Global Mining Global Gold TR USD, while RMAU.L is a Commodities fund tracking the LBMA Gold PM Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GOLB.L returned 19.63%/yr vs 17.57%/yr for RMAU.L. A 0.65 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. GOLB.L charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for RMAU.L.

Performance

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF (GOLB.L) and The Royal Mint Physical Gold ETC Securities (RMAU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

GOLB.L is traded in GBP, while RMAU.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the RMAU.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GOLB.L achieves a -9.04% return, which is significantly lower than RMAU.L's -6.50% return.

GOLB.L

• 1D: 1.79%
• 1M: -13.35%
• 6M: -20.29%
• YTD: -9.04%
• 1Y: 50.62%
• 3Y*: 35.78%
• 5Y*: 19.63%
• 10Y*: —

RMAU.L

• 1D: -1.90%
• 1M: -7.83%
• 6M: -12.98%
• YTD: -6.50%
• 1Y: 19.86%
• 3Y*: 25.68%
• 5Y*: 17.57%
• 10Y*: —

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

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
GOLB.L Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF	-9.04%	138.44%	14.06%	0.34%	1.34%	-14.65%	84.95%
RMAU.L The Royal Mint Physical Gold ETC Securities	-6.50%	52.86%	28.16%	7.63%	11.68%	-3.26%	13.83%

Correlation

The correlation between GOLB.L and RMAU.L is 0.79, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.79
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.72
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 18, 2020	0.65

The correlation between GOLB.L and RMAU.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.65 (all time) to 0.79 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

GOLB.L

GOLB.L Risk / Return Rank: 31
GOLB.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
GOLB.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
GOLB.L Omega Ratio Rank: 32
GOLB.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
GOLB.L Martin Ratio Rank: 27

RMAU.L

RMAU.L Risk / Return Rank: 24
RMAU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 26
RMAU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
RMAU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 27
RMAU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
RMAU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF (GOLB.L) and The Royal Mint Physical Gold ETC Securities (RMAU.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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	GOLB.L	RMAU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.02	0.77	+0.25
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.51	1.13	+0.38
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.16	+0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.25	0.80	+0.45
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.08	2.00	+1.08

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GOLB.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.02, which is higher than the RMAU.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.77. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GOLB.L and RMAU.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.

Drawdowns

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GOLB.L drawdown since its inception was -44.07%, which is greater than RMAU.L's maximum drawdown of -24.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOLB.L and RMAU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	GOLB.L	RMAU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-44.07%	-24.60%	-19.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-37.01%	-24.60%	-12.41%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-37.01%	-24.60%	-12.41%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.60%	-24.60%	-13.00%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-34.33%	-24.60%	-9.73%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.34%	-6.58%	-14.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	15.09%	9.91%	+5.18%

Volatility

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Volatility Comparison

Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF (GOLB.L) has a higher volatility of 14.69% compared to The Royal Mint Physical Gold ETC Securities (RMAU.L) at 7.46%. This indicates that GOLB.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than RMAU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GOLB.L	RMAU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.69%	7.46%	+7.23%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.54%	22.58%	+13.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.47%	25.63%	+19.84%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	34.78%	17.33%	+17.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	43.72%	17.50%	+26.22%

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

GOLB.L has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than RMAU.L's 0.22% expense ratio.

Dividends

GOLB.L vs. RMAU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither GOLB.L nor RMAU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GOLB.L and RMAU.L in my portfolio?

GOLB.L and RMAU.L have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, GOLB.L or RMAU.L?

On fees, RMAU.L is cheaper at 0.22% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, GOLB.L or RMAU.L?

RMAU.L is cheaper with a 0.22% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for GOLB.L.

What is the main difference between GOLB.L and RMAU.L?

GOLB.L is categorized as Gold, while RMAU.L is Commodities. GOLB.L tracks EMIX Global Mining Global Gold TR USD, while RMAU.L tracks LBMA Gold PM Price. They also come from different issuers: China Post Global and HANetf. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for GOLB.L and 0.22% for RMAU.L.