IAU vs. IGLD
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and IGLD (FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) are both Gold funds. IAU is passively managed, while IGLD is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, IAU returned 17.43%/yr vs 12.25%/yr for IGLD. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. IAU charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for IGLD.
Performance
IAU vs. IGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -5.52% return, which is significantly higher than IGLD's -6.36% return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.66%
- 1M
- -1.06%
- 6M
- -17.56%
- YTD
- -5.52%
- 1Y
- 20.51%
- 3Y*
- 27.77%
- 5Y*
- 17.43%
- 10Y*
- 11.52%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.74%
IGLD
- 1D
- 0.54%
- 1M
- -0.93%
- 6M
- -16.31%
- YTD
- -6.36%
- 1Y
- 13.37%
- 3Y*
- 19.67%
- 5Y*
- 12.25%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 11.84%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $375.17M | $380.53M | $472.45M | |
| $5.61M | $5.68M | $7.08M |
IAU vs. IGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -5.52% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | 5.42% |
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | -6.36% | 47.46% | 19.36% | 9.24% | -2.34% | 4.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and IGLD is 0.96 - they have historically moved very closely together. At this level, their price movements offset little of one another.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.96 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.93 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 3, 2021 | 0.93 |
The correlation between IAU and IGLD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.96 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. IGLD — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
IGLD
IAU vs. IGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD). 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 | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.12 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.78 | 0.56 | +0.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.66 | 1.25 | +0.42 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. IGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than IGLD's maximum drawdown of -23.84%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and IGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -23.84% | -21.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.36% | -23.84% | -2.52% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.36% | -23.84% | -2.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.36% | -23.84% | -2.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.36% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.50% | -21.87% | -2.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.02% | -5.72% | -10.30% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.36% | 10.74% | +1.62% |
Volatility
IAU vs. IGLD - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 5.93% compared to FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) at 5.28%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.93% | 5.28% | +0.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.43% | 20.33% | +0.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.85% | 25.07% | +2.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.43% | 15.75% | +2.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.07% | 15.42% | +0.65% |
IAU vs. IGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than IGLD's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
IAU vs. IGLD - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 23.16%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 23.16% | 9.91% | 20.81% | 7.85% | 4.45% | 2.24% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.96, IAU and IGLD 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.
IAU has higher volatility (5.93%) compared to IGLD (5.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs IGLD's -23.84%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 17.43% vs 12.25% for IGLD. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IGLD has been the lower-risk option at 5.28%. 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 17.43% return vs 12.25%. 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 0.85% for IGLD.
IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 23.16%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for IAU and 0.85% for IGLD.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.74 vs 0.54), 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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