IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IJPN.L (iShares MSCI Japan UCITS ETF (Dist)) and SGLN.L (iShares Physical Gold ETC) are both exchange-traded funds - IJPN.L is a Japan Equities fund tracking the TOPIX TR JPY, while SGLN.L is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IJPN.L returned 10.48%/yr vs 14.27%/yr for SGLN.L. At a 0.10 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IJPN.L charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for SGLN.L.

Performance

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares MSCI Japan UCITS ETF (Dist) (IJPN.L) and iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IJPN.L achieves a 16.83% return, which is significantly higher than SGLN.L's 3.89% return. Over the past 10 years, IJPN.L has underperformed SGLN.L with an annualized return of 10.48%, while SGLN.L has yielded a comparatively higher 14.27% annualized return.

IJPN.L

• 1D: -0.35%
• 1M: 6.24%
• YTD: 16.83%
• 6M: 16.02%
• 1Y: 34.98%
• 3Y*: 16.17%
• 5Y*: 10.52%
• 10Y*: 10.48%

SGLN.L

• 1D: 0.70%
• 1M: -1.36%
• YTD: 3.89%
• 6M: 5.42%
• 1Y: 33.75%
• 3Y*: 28.17%
• 5Y*: 20.12%
• 10Y*: 14.27%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IJPN.L iShares MSCI Japan UCITS ETF (Dist)	16.83%	18.18%	9.39%	14.03%	-7.13%	2.20%	12.46%	14.55%	-8.45%	13.27%
SGLN.L iShares Physical Gold ETC	3.89%	53.66%	28.20%	7.24%	11.84%	-2.57%	19.62%	14.63%	4.36%	1.68%

Correlation

The correlation between IJPN.L and SGLN.L is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.12
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.10
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 13, 2011	0.10

Return for Risk

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IJPN.L

IJPN.L Risk / Return Rank: 60
IJPN.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
IJPN.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
IJPN.L Omega Ratio Rank: 59
IJPN.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
IJPN.L Martin Ratio Rank: 60

SGLN.L

SGLN.L Risk / Return Rank: 40
SGLN.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
SGLN.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
SGLN.L Omega Ratio Rank: 47
SGLN.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
SGLN.L Martin Ratio Rank: 34

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Japan UCITS ETF (Dist) (IJPN.L) and iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L). 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.

	IJPN.L	SGLN.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.88	1.45	+0.43
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.71	1.88	+0.83
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.29	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.22	1.91	+1.31
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.52	5.05	+5.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IJPN.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.88, which is comparable to the SGLN.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IJPN.L and SGLN.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IJPN.L	SGLN.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.88	1.45	+0.43
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	1.23	-0.57
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.65	0.90	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.55	-0.13

Drawdowns

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IJPN.L drawdown since its inception was -39.73%, roughly equal to the maximum SGLN.L drawdown of -41.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IJPN.L and SGLN.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	IJPN.L	SGLN.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.73%	-41.71%	+1.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.80%	-17.57%	+6.77%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.09%	-17.57%	+3.48%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.57%	-17.57%	-1.00%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-24.34%	-21.91%	-2.43%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.35%	-16.01%	+15.66%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.09%	-14.76%	+4.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.32%	6.67%	-3.35%

Volatility

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares MSCI Japan UCITS ETF (Dist) (IJPN.L) is 3.88%, while iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L) has a volatility of 5.08%. This indicates that IJPN.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SGLN.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IJPN.L	SGLN.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.88%	5.08%	-1.20%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.00%	20.08%	-5.08%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.54%	23.19%	-4.65%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.88%	16.30%	-0.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.98%	15.78%	+0.20%

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

IJPN.L has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than SGLN.L's 0.12% expense ratio.

Dividends

IJPN.L vs. SGLN.L - Dividend Comparison

IJPN.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.03%, while SGLN.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IJPN.L iShares MSCI Japan UCITS ETF (Dist)	2.03%	2.25%	1.95%	1.81%	2.10%	1.66%	1.75%	1.90%	1.89%	1.53%	1.55%	0.87%
SGLN.L iShares Physical Gold ETC	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IJPN.L and SGLN.L in my portfolio?

IJPN.L and SGLN.L have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IJPN.L or SGLN.L?

On fees, SGLN.L is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IJPN.L or SGLN.L?

SGLN.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for IJPN.L.

What is the main difference between IJPN.L and SGLN.L?

IJPN.L is categorized as Japan Equities, while SGLN.L is Gold. IJPN.L tracks TOPIX TR JPY, while SGLN.L tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for IJPN.L and 0.12% for SGLN.L.