IAU vs. VTV
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and VTV (Vanguard Value ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while VTV is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Value Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 11.47%/yr vs 12.54%/yr for VTV. Their 0.07 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. IAU charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VTV.
Performance
IAU vs. VTV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -4.77% return, which is significantly lower than VTV's 16.68% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has underperformed VTV with an annualized return of 11.47%, while VTV has yielded a comparatively higher 12.54% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- 1.66%
- 1M
- 2.37%
- 6M
- -23.89%
- YTD
- -4.77%
- 1Y
- 25.45%
- 3Y*
- 27.61%
- 5Y*
- 17.47%
- 10Y*
- 11.47%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.79%
VTV
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 1.20%
- 6M
- 11.66%
- YTD
- 16.68%
- 1Y
- 25.98%
- 3Y*
- 17.14%
- 5Y*
- 12.35%
- 10Y*
- 12.54%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.69%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $356.82M | $368.90M | $473.90M | |
| $702.76M | $700.34M | $620.98M |
IAU vs. VTV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.77% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
VTV Vanguard Value ETF | 16.68% | 15.27% | 15.95% | 9.32% | -2.09% | 26.53% | 2.33% | 25.66% | -5.47% | 17.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and VTV is 0.25, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.15 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.07 |
The correlation between IAU and VTV shifts across timeframes, from 0.06 (10 years) to 0.25 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. VTV — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
VTV
IAU vs. VTV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Vanguard Value ETF (VTV). 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 | VTV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.60 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.32 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.45 | -0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.97 | 4.11 | -3.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.12 | 15.92 | -13.80 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. VTV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum VTV drawdown of -59.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and VTV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | VTV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -59.27% | +14.13% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.36% | -6.35% | -20.01% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.36% | -14.52% | -11.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.36% | -17.04% | -9.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.36% | -36.78% | +10.42% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -23.89% | -1.10% | -22.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.02% | -7.82% | -8.20% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.05% | 1.65% | +10.40% |
Volatility
IAU vs. VTV - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 6.18% compared to Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) at 2.62%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | VTV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.18% | 2.62% | +3.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.32% | 7.73% | +15.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.94% | 10.37% | +17.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.42% | 13.83% | +4.59% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.07% | 16.61% | -0.54% |
IAU vs. VTV - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than VTV's 0.04% 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. VTV - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VTV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.85%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% | 0.00% |
VTV Vanguard Value ETF | 1.85% | 2.05% | 2.31% | 2.46% | 2.52% | 2.15% | 2.56% | 2.50% | 2.73% | 2.29% | 2.44% | 2.60% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and VTV 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 (6.18%) compared to VTV (2.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs VTV's -59.27%.
On 10-year performance, VTV leads with 12.54% vs 11.47% for IAU. On fees, VTV is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, VTV has been the lower-risk option at 2.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTV has performed better with a 12.54% return vs 11.47%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTV is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
VTV has the higher dividend yield at 1.85%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IAU is categorized as Gold, while VTV is Large Cap Value Equities. IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price, while VTV tracks CRSP US Large Cap Value Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for IAU and 0.04% for VTV.
VTV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 0.92), 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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