IAU vs. VTIP
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while VTIP is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 11.97%/yr vs 3.03%/yr for VTIP. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IAU charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTIP.
Performance
IAU vs. VTIP - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.92% return, which is significantly lower than VTIP's 1.34% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has outperformed VTIP with an annualized return of 11.97%, while VTIP has yielded a comparatively lower 3.03% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- -0.67%
- 1M
- -7.09%
- YTD
- -2.92%
- 6M
- -5.73%
- 1Y
- 24.19%
- 3Y*
- 29.42%
- 5Y*
- 18.45%
- 10Y*
- 11.97%
VTIP
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- -0.24%
- YTD
- 1.34%
- 6M
- 1.46%
- 1Y
- 3.64%
- 3Y*
- 5.00%
- 5Y*
- 3.26%
- 10Y*
- 3.03%
IAU vs. VTIP - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.92% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 1.34% | 6.07% | 4.74% | 4.62% | -2.94% | 5.36% | 4.95% | 4.86% | 0.56% | 0.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and VTIP is 0.25, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 16, 2012 | 0.34 |
The correlation between IAU and VTIP shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (1 year) to 0.38 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. VTIP — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
VTIP
IAU vs. VTIP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP). 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 | VTIP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.43 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.38 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.47 | -0.29 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.00 | 5.12 | -4.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.71 | 18.66 | -15.95 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. VTIP - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than VTIP's maximum drawdown of -6.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and VTIP.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | VTIP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -6.27% | -38.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -0.71% | -23.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -0.98% | -23.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -5.50% | -18.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | -6.27% | -18.13% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.42% | -0.71% | -21.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -1.04% | -14.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.95% | 0.20% | +8.75% |
Volatility
IAU vs. VTIP - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 7.97% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) at 0.65%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTIP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | VTIP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.97% | 0.65% | +7.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.16% | 1.17% | +22.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.36% | 1.58% | +25.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 2.77% | +15.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.05% | 2.74% | +13.31% |
IAU vs. VTIP - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than VTIP's 0.03% 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. VTIP - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VTIP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.61%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 3.61% | 3.81% | 2.70% | 2.86% | 6.84% | 4.68% | 1.20% | 1.95% | 2.45% | 1.52% | 0.76% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and VTIP have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (7.97%) compared to VTIP (0.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs VTIP's -6.27%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 11.97% vs 3.03% for VTIP. On fees, VTIP is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTIP has been the lower-risk option at 0.65%. 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 11.97% return vs 3.03%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTIP is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
VTIP has the higher dividend yield at 3.61%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IAU is categorized as Gold, while VTIP is Inflation-Protected Bonds. IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price, while VTIP tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for IAU and 0.03% for VTIP.
VTIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.32 vs 0.89), 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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