IAU vs. VUG
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and VUG (Vanguard Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while VUG is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 11.47%/yr vs 17.16%/yr for VUG. Their 0.07 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. IAU charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VUG.
Performance
IAU vs. VUG - 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 VUG's 3.87% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has underperformed VUG with an annualized return of 11.47%, while VUG has yielded a comparatively higher 17.16% 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%
VUG
- 1D
- 2.68%
- 1M
- -2.17%
- 6M
- 4.45%
- YTD
- 3.87%
- 1Y
- 11.65%
- 3Y*
- 20.62%
- 5Y*
- 11.92%
- 10Y*
- 17.16%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.03%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $356.82M | $368.90M | $473.90M | |
| $577.14M | $666.77M | $652.71M |
IAU vs. VUG - 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% |
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF | 3.87% | 19.40% | 32.69% | 46.83% | -33.16% | 27.35% | 40.25% | 37.03% | -3.32% | 27.72% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and VUG is 0.27, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.10 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.07 |
Over the past year, IAU and VUG have become more correlated (0.27) than their long-term average of 0.07, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. VUG — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
VUG
IAU vs. VUG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG). 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 | VUG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.26 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.12 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.97 | 0.71 | +0.26 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.12 | 2.25 | -0.13 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. VUG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum VUG drawdown of -50.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and VUG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | VUG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -50.68% | +5.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.36% | -16.53% | -9.83% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.36% | -22.85% | -3.51% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.36% | -35.61% | +9.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.36% | -35.61% | +9.25% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -23.89% | -6.56% | -17.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.02% | -7.08% | -8.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.05% | 5.19% | +6.86% |
Volatility
IAU vs. VUG - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 6.18% compared to Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) at 5.45%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | VUG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.18% | 5.45% | +0.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.32% | 14.23% | +9.09% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.94% | 17.71% | +10.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.42% | 22.50% | -4.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.07% | 21.55% | -5.48% |
IAU vs. VUG - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than VUG'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. VUG - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VUG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.40%.
| 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% |
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF | 0.40% | 0.41% | 0.47% | 0.58% | 0.70% | 0.48% | 0.66% | 0.95% | 1.32% | 1.14% | 1.39% | 1.30% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and VUG have a correlation of 0.27, 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 VUG (5.45%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs VUG's -50.68%.
On 10-year performance, VUG leads with 17.16% vs 11.47% for IAU. On fees, VUG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VUG has been the lower-risk option at 5.45%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VUG has performed better with a 17.16% return vs 11.47%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VUG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
VUG has the higher dividend yield at 0.40%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IAU is categorized as Gold, while VUG is Large Cap Growth Equities. IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price, while VUG tracks CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for IAU and 0.03% for VUG.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.92 vs 0.66), 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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