IBTJ vs. IAU
IBTJ (iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - IBTJ is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE 2029 Maturity US Treasury Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IBTJ returned 0.06%/yr vs 18.32%/yr for IAU. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IBTJ charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
IBTJ vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBTJ achieves a -0.10% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 2.98% return.
IBTJ
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -0.10%
- YTD
- -0.10%
- 6M
- 0.01%
- 1Y
- 3.49%
- 3Y*
- 3.51%
- 5Y*
- 0.06%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU
- 1D
- -0.98%
- 1M
- -1.62%
- YTD
- 2.98%
- 6M
- 5.50%
- 1Y
- 32.20%
- 3Y*
- 31.29%
- 5Y*
- 18.32%
- 10Y*
- 13.31%
IBTJ vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBTJ iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF | -0.10% | 6.89% | 1.82% | 4.49% | -12.45% | -3.57% | 3.50% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 2.98% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 20.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between IBTJ and IAU is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 2, 2020 | 0.32 |
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Return for Risk
IBTJ vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
IBTJ
IAU
IBTJ vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| IBTJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.22 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.24 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.17 | 1.69 | +0.48 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.23 | 4.19 | +2.05 |
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
| IBTJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.44 | 1.23 | +0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | 1.03 | -1.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.84 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.02 | 0.62 | -0.64 |
Drawdowns
IBTJ vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBTJ drawdown since its inception was -20.19%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBTJ and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBTJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.19% | -45.14% | +24.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.62% | -19.18% | +17.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.47% | -19.18% | +14.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.21% | -20.93% | +3.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -21.82% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.30% | -17.70% | +11.40% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.73% | -15.96% | +6.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.56% | 7.71% | -7.15% |
Volatility
IBTJ vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) is 0.64%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that IBTJ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IBTJ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.64% | 5.50% | -4.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.56% | 23.02% | -21.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.43% | 26.42% | -23.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.74% | 17.95% | -12.21% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.99% | 15.90% | -9.91% |
IBTJ vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IBTJ has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
IBTJ vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
IBTJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.81%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IBTJ iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF | 3.81% | 3.78% | 3.95% | 3.48% | 1.86% | 0.74% | 0.61% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IBTJ and IAU have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to IBTJ (0.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBTJ dropped -20.19% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 18.32% vs 0.06% for IBTJ. On fees, IBTJ is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, IBTJ has been the lower-risk option at 0.64%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IAU has performed better with a 18.32% return vs 0.06%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IBTJ is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
IBTJ has the higher dividend yield at 3.81%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IBTJ is categorized as Government Bonds, while IAU is Gold. IBTJ tracks ICE 2029 Maturity US Treasury Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for IBTJ and 0.25% for IAU.
IBTJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.44 vs 1.23), 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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