IGV vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ET (IGV) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
IGV and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IGV is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P North American Technology-Software Index. It was launched on Jul 10, 2001. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. Both IGV and IAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
IGV vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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IGV vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGV iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ET | -24.26% | 5.56% | 23.41% | 58.56% | -35.65% | 12.30% | 52.86% | 34.33% | 12.44% | 42.16% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 8.61% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGV achieves a -24.26% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 8.61% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with IGV having a 14.82% annualized return and IAU not far behind at 14.08%.
IGV
- 1D
- 3.13%
- 1M
- -1.86%
- YTD
- -24.26%
- 6M
- -30.40%
- 1Y
- -10.05%
- 3Y*
- 9.52%
- 5Y*
- 2.75%
- 10Y*
- 14.82%
IAU
- 1D
- 3.80%
- 1M
- -11.01%
- YTD
- 8.61%
- 6M
- 21.15%
- 1Y
- 49.53%
- 3Y*
- 33.12%
- 5Y*
- 21.78%
- 10Y*
- 14.08%
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IGV vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGV has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
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 ET (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.
| IGV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.35 | 1.80 | -2.16 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.32 | 2.24 | -2.56 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.96 | 1.33 | -0.37 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.31 | 2.69 | -3.01 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.81 | 9.97 | -10.78 |
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
| IGV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.35 | 1.80 | -2.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 | 1.24 | -1.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.89 | -0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.64 | -0.31 |
Correlation
The correlation between IGV and IAU is 0.04, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
IGV vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
Neither IGV nor IAU has paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGV iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ET | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.35% | 0.02% | 0.16% | 0.09% | 0.82% | 0.22% |
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% |
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 | -34.72% | -19.18% | -15.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.85% | -20.93% | -24.92% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.85% | -21.82% | -24.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -32.04% | -13.20% | -18.84% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.37% | -15.98% | +1.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.51% | 5.18% | +8.33% |
Volatility
IGV vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ET (IGV) is 8.65%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 11.02%. This indicates that IGV 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
| IGV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.65% | 11.02% | -2.37% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.69% | 24.11% | -4.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.43% | 27.62% | +0.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.10% | 17.69% | +9.41% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.89% | 15.82% | +10.07% |