IAU vs. SPOT
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while SPOT (Spotify Technology S.A.) is a stock. Over the past 5 years, IAU returned 17.23%/yr vs 14.62%/yr for SPOT. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IAU vs. SPOT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.44% return, which is significantly higher than SPOT's -17.00% return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -9.54%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
SPOT
- 1D
- -0.82%
- 1M
- 11.86%
- YTD
- -17.00%
- 6M
- -19.37%
- 1Y
- -31.42%
- 3Y*
- 47.06%
- 5Y*
- 14.62%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU vs. SPOT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -4.65% |
SPOT Spotify Technology S.A. | -17.00% | 29.80% | 138.08% | 138.01% | -66.27% | -25.62% | 110.40% | 31.76% | -31.59% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and SPOT is -0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 3, 2018 | 0.06 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. SPOT — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
SPOT
IAU vs. SPOT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Spotify Technology S.A. (SPOT). 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 | SPOT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.58 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 0.89 | +0.29 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | -0.67 | +1.66 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | -1.16 | +3.99 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. SPOT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum SPOT drawdown of -80.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and SPOT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | SPOT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -80.51% | +35.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -46.80% | +22.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -46.80% | +22.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -76.39% | +51.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -37.88% | +15.85% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -30.87% | +14.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 27.16% | -18.69% |
Volatility
IAU vs. SPOT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is 7.70%, while Spotify Technology S.A. (SPOT) has a volatility of 16.23%. This indicates that IAU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPOT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | SPOT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 16.23% | -8.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 37.28% | -13.34% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 45.28% | -18.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 47.58% | -29.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 47.36% | -31.34% |
Dividends
IAU vs. SPOT - Dividend Comparison
Neither IAU nor SPOT has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and SPOT have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPOT has higher volatility (16.23%) compared to IAU (7.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs SPOT's -80.51%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs -0.70), 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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