IRBO vs. IAU
IRBO (iShares Future AI & Tech ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - IRBO is a Robotics fund tracking the Morningstar Global Artificial Intelligence Select Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IRBO returned 11.45%/yr vs 17.22%/yr for IAU. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IRBO charges 0.47%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
IRBO vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IRBO achieves a 53.58% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -7.61% return.
IRBO
- 1D
- -0.63%
- 1M
- 7.58%
- YTD
- 53.58%
- 6M
- 52.53%
- 1Y
- 86.57%
- 3Y*
- 32.76%
- 5Y*
- 11.45%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU
- 1D
- -3.03%
- 1M
- -11.58%
- YTD
- -7.61%
- 6M
- -11.09%
- 1Y
- 19.64%
- 3Y*
- 27.30%
- 5Y*
- 17.22%
- 10Y*
- 11.42%
IRBO vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IRBO iShares Future AI & Tech ETF | 53.58% | 29.97% | 8.02% | 36.37% | -37.89% | 6.32% | 48.85% | 34.47% | -13.76% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -7.61% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between IRBO and IAU is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 28, 2018 | 0.11 |
The correlation between IRBO and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.11 (all time) to 0.23 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IRBO vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
IRBO
IAU
IRBO vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Future AI & Tech ETF (IRBO) 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.
| IRBO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.83 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.86 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.15 | +0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.63 | 0.75 | +3.87 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.07 | 2.14 | +12.94 |
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Drawdowns
IRBO vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IRBO drawdown since its inception was -54.50%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IRBO and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IRBO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.50% | -45.14% | -9.36% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.81% | -26.17% | +7.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -32.44% | -26.17% | -6.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -50.53% | -26.17% | -24.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -26.17% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.37% | -26.17% | +17.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.75% | -15.98% | -3.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.76% | 9.21% | -3.45% |
Volatility
IRBO vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
iShares Future AI & Tech ETF (IRBO) has a higher volatility of 19.33% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 8.50%. This indicates that IRBO'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
| IRBO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 19.33% | 8.50% | +10.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 29.98% | 24.42% | +5.56% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 34.23% | 27.55% | +6.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.56% | 18.24% | +11.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 28.29% | 16.01% | +12.28% |
IRBO vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IRBO has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
IRBO vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
IRBO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.06%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IRBO iShares Future AI & Tech ETF | 0.06% | 0.00% | 0.50% | 0.88% | 0.75% | 2.41% | 0.53% | 0.69% | 0.34% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IRBO and IAU have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IRBO has higher volatility (19.33%) compared to IAU (8.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IRBO dropped -54.50% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 17.22% vs 11.45% for IRBO. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 8.50%. 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 17.22% return vs 11.45%. 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 0.47% for IRBO.
IRBO has the higher dividend yield at 0.06%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IRBO is categorized as Robotics, while IAU is Gold. IRBO tracks Morningstar Global Artificial Intelligence Select Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.47% for IRBO and 0.25% for IAU.
IRBO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.55 vs 0.72), 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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