IGV vs. IAU
IGV (iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - IGV is a Technology Equities fund tracking the S&P North American Expanded Technology Software Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IGV returned 15.70%/yr vs 11.76%/yr for IAU. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IGV charges 0.39%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
IGV vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGV achieves a -17.37% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's -4.73% return. Over the past 10 years, IGV has outperformed IAU with an annualized return of 15.70%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively lower 11.76% annualized return.
IGV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- -7.10%
- YTD
- -17.37%
- 6M
- -19.19%
- 1Y
- -17.89%
- 3Y*
- 9.05%
- 5Y*
- 2.37%
- 10Y*
- 15.70%
IAU
- 1D
- -1.87%
- 1M
- -8.82%
- YTD
- -4.73%
- 6M
- -8.68%
- 1Y
- 21.45%
- 3Y*
- 28.61%
- 5Y*
- 18.02%
- 10Y*
- 11.76%
IGV vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGV iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF | -17.37% | 5.56% | 23.41% | 58.56% | -35.65% | 12.30% | 52.86% | 34.33% | 12.44% | 42.16% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.73% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGV and IAU is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.04 |
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Return for Risk
IGV vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
IGV
IAU
IGV vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) 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.
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.
| IGV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.91 | 1.17 | -0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.49 | 0.88 | -1.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.00 | 2.37 | -3.37 |
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Drawdowns
IGV vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGV drawdown since its inception was -63.45%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGV and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.45% | -45.14% | -18.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -36.61% | -24.40% | -12.21% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -36.61% | -24.40% | -12.21% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.85% | -24.40% | -21.45% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.85% | -24.40% | -21.45% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -25.85% | -23.87% | -1.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.46% | -15.97% | +1.51% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 17.94% | 9.07% | +8.87% |
Volatility
IGV vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) has a higher volatility of 12.71% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 8.10%. This indicates that IGV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| IGV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.71% | 8.10% | +4.61% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.86% | 24.23% | +0.63% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.27% | 27.38% | +0.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.97% | 18.18% | +9.79% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.38% | 15.98% | +10.40% |
IGV vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGV has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
IGV vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
IGV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.02%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| 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% |
IGV iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.35% | 0.02% | 0.16% | 0.09% | 0.82% | 0.22% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IGV and IAU have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IGV has higher volatility (12.71%) compared to IAU (8.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IGV dropped -63.45% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IGV leads with 15.70% vs 11.76% for IAU. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 8.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IGV has performed better with a 15.70% return vs 11.76%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for IGV.
IGV has the higher dividend yield at 0.02%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IGV is categorized as Technology Equities, while IAU is Gold. IGV tracks S&P North American Expanded Technology Software Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.39% for IGV and 0.25% for IAU.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.79 vs -0.64), 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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