IAU vs. BBJP
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and BBJP (JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while BBJP is a Japan Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Japan Target Market Exposure Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IAU returned 17.33%/yr vs 8.67%/yr for BBJP. Their 0.20 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. IAU charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for BBJP.
Performance
IAU vs. BBJP - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -6.09% return, which is significantly lower than BBJP's 11.90% return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 0.69%
- 6M
- -18.72%
- YTD
- -6.09%
- 1Y
- 21.17%
- 3Y*
- 26.99%
- 5Y*
- 17.33%
- 10Y*
- 11.59%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.72%
BBJP
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -2.16%
- 6M
- 6.85%
- YTD
- 11.90%
- 1Y
- 24.42%
- 3Y*
- 16.52%
- 5Y*
- 8.67%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 7.64%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $122.93M | $111.87M | $115.37M | |
| $367.78M | $389.80M | $488.83M |
IAU vs. BBJP - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -6.09% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | 0.00% |
BBJP JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF | 11.90% | 26.55% | 7.47% | 20.65% | -17.24% | 1.21% | 15.42% | 18.85% | -13.92% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and BBJP is 0.40, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 18, 2018 | 0.20 |
Over the past year, IAU and BBJP have become more correlated (0.40) than their long-term average of 0.20, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. BBJP — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
BBJP
IAU vs. BBJP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF (BBJP). 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.
| IAU | BBJP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.22 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.76 | 1.70 | -0.94 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.72 | 5.53 | -3.81 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. BBJP - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than BBJP's maximum drawdown of -32.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and BBJP.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | BBJP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -32.66% | -12.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.36% | -13.60% | -12.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.36% | -14.49% | -11.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.36% | -32.66% | +6.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.36% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.95% | -5.62% | -19.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.01% | -8.43% | -7.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.65% | 4.19% | +7.46% |
Volatility
IAU vs. BBJP - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF (BBJP) have volatilities of 6.07% and 5.94%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | BBJP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.07% | 5.94% | +0.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.78% | 16.84% | +6.94% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.88% | 20.22% | +7.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.39% | 18.45% | -0.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.06% | 18.41% | -2.35% |
IAU vs. BBJP - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than BBJP's 0.19% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
IAU vs. BBJP - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BBJP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.80%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BBJP JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF | 4.80% | 5.37% | 2.80% | 3.05% | 1.52% | 2.89% | 1.12% | 2.31% | 0.65% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and BBJP have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (6.07%) compared to BBJP (5.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs BBJP's -32.66%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 17.33% vs 8.67% for BBJP. On fees, BBJP is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, BBJP has been the lower-risk option at 5.94%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IAU has performed better with a 17.33% return vs 8.67%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BBJP is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
BBJP has the higher dividend yield at 4.80%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IAU is categorized as Gold, while BBJP is Japan Equities. IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price, while BBJP tracks Morningstar Japan Target Market Exposure Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and JPMorgan. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for IAU and 0.19% for BBJP.
BBJP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.14 vs 0.72), 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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