IAUM vs. VTI
IAUM (iShares Gold Trust Micro) and VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAUM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM, while VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, IAUM returned 31.59%/yr vs 22.37%/yr for VTI. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IAUM charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTI.
Performance
IAUM vs. VTI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAUM achieves a 3.84% return, which is significantly lower than VTI's 11.72% return.
IAUM
- 1D
- 0.81%
- 1M
- -1.65%
- YTD
- 3.84%
- 6M
- 6.39%
- 1Y
- 32.66%
- 3Y*
- 31.59%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VTI
- 1D
- 0.47%
- 1M
- 4.59%
- YTD
- 11.72%
- 6M
- 11.43%
- 1Y
- 28.79%
- 3Y*
- 22.37%
- 5Y*
- 12.80%
- 10Y*
- 15.04%
IAUM vs. VTI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro | 3.84% | 64.27% | 27.04% | 13.12% | -0.49% | 3.87% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 11.72% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 9.09% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAUM and VTI is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 30, 2021 | 0.12 |
IAUM vs. VTI - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IAUM
VTI
Real Estate
Basic Materials
-
Communication Services
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
Consumer Defensive
-
Energy
-
Financial Services
-
Healthcare
-
Industrials
-
Technology
-
Utilities
-
Real Estate
IAUM
VTI
Basic Materials
IAUM
-
VTI
Communication Services
IAUM
-
VTI
Consumer Cyclical
IAUM
-
VTI
Consumer Defensive
IAUM
-
VTI
Energy
IAUM
-
VTI
Financial Services
IAUM
-
VTI
Healthcare
IAUM
-
VTI
Industrials
IAUM
-
VTI
Technology
IAUM
-
VTI
Utilities
IAUM
-
VTI
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Return for Risk
IAUM vs. VTI — Risk / Return Rank
IAUM
VTI
IAUM vs. VTI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). 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.
| IAUM | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.43 | -0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.71 | 3.24 | -1.53 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.21 | 14.94 | -10.73 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IAUM | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.25 | 2.38 | -1.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.74 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.82 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.17 | 0.51 | +0.66 |
Drawdowns
IAUM vs. VTI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAUM drawdown since its inception was -20.87%, smaller than the maximum VTI drawdown of -55.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAUM and VTI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAUM | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.87% | -55.45% | +34.58% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.15% | -8.92% | -10.23% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.15% | -19.30% | +0.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -25.36% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.00% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.01% | -0.26% | -16.75% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.31% | -8.03% | +2.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.78% | 1.93% | +5.85% |
Volatility
IAUM vs. VTI - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) has a higher volatility of 5.49% compared to Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) at 2.90%. This indicates that IAUM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAUM | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.49% | 2.90% | +2.59% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 22.90% | 9.13% | +13.77% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.30% | 12.17% | +14.13% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.86% | 17.40% | +0.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.86% | 18.30% | -0.44% |
IAUM vs. VTI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAUM has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VTI'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
IAUM vs. VTI - Dividend Comparison
IAUM has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.01% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAUM and VTI have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAUM has higher volatility (5.49%) compared to VTI (2.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAUM dropped -20.87% vs VTI's -55.45%.
On 3-year performance, IAUM leads with 31.59% vs 22.37% for VTI. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 2.90%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, IAUM has performed better with a 31.59% return vs 22.37%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for IAUM.
VTI has the higher dividend yield at 1.01%, compared with 0.00% for IAUM.
IAUM is categorized as Gold, while VTI is Large Cap Blend Equities. IAUM tracks LBMA Gold Price PM, while VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for IAUM and 0.03% for VTI.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 1.25), 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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