MUU vs. IAUM

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

MUU (Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares) and IAUM (iShares Gold Trust Micro) are both exchange-traded funds - MUU is a Leveraged Equities fund actively managed by Direxion, while IAUM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. MUU is actively managed, while IAUM is passively managed. Over the past year, MUU returned 6522.95% vs 32.42% for IAUM. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. MUU charges 1.06%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for IAUM.

Performance

MUU vs. IAUM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares (MUU) and iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MUU achieves a 961.23% return, which is significantly higher than IAUM's 3.00% return.

MUU

• 1D: 3.08%
• 1M: 218.90%
• YTD: 961.23%
• 6M: 1,422.01%
• 1Y: 6,522.95%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IAUM

• 1D: -0.96%
• 1M: -1.62%
• YTD: 3.00%
• 6M: 5.58%
• 1Y: 32.42%
• 3Y*: 31.53%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

MUU vs. IAUM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
MUU Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares	961.23%	599.03%	-43.09%
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro	3.00%	64.27%	-0.15%

Correlation

The correlation between MUU and IAUM is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 11, 2024	0.12

Return for Risk

MUU vs. IAUM — Risk / Return Rank

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

MUU

MUU Risk / Return Rank: 99
MUU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
MUU Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
MUU Omega Ratio Rank: 97
MUU Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
MUU Martin Ratio Rank: 100

IAUM

IAUM Risk / Return Rank: 32
IAUM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
IAUM Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
IAUM Omega Ratio Rank: 36
IAUM Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
IAUM Martin Ratio Rank: 29

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.

MUU vs. IAUM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares (MUU) and iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM). 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.

	MUU	IAUM	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	50.40	1.24	+49.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	7.17	1.63	+5.54
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.91	1.25	+0.66
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	125.85	1.70	+124.15
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	426.84	4.22	+422.62
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MUU vs. IAUM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MUU Sharpe Ratio is 50.40, which is higher than the IAUM Sharpe Ratio of 1.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MUU and IAUM, 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

	MUU	IAUM	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	50.40	1.24	+49.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	6.68	1.16	+5.53

Drawdowns

MUU vs. IAUM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MUU drawdown since its inception was -75.07%, which is greater than IAUM's maximum drawdown of -20.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MUU and IAUM.

Drawdown Indicators

	MUU	IAUM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-75.07%	-20.87%	-54.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-52.72%	-19.15%	-33.57%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-19.15%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-17.68%	+17.68%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-23.44%	-5.30%	-18.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	15.51%	7.70%	+7.81%

Volatility

MUU vs. IAUM - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares (MUU) has a higher volatility of 54.78% compared to iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) at 5.50%. This indicates that MUU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAUM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MUU	IAUM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	54.78%	5.50%	+49.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	105.07%	22.89%	+82.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	131.77%	26.31%	+105.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	133.67%	17.86%	+115.81%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	133.67%	17.86%	+115.81%

MUU vs. IAUM - Expense Ratio Comparison

MUU has a 1.06% expense ratio, which is higher than IAUM's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

MUU vs. IAUM - Dividend Comparison

MUU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%, while IAUM has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
MUU Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares	0.46%	4.27%	0.31%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MUU and IAUM in my portfolio?

MUU and IAUM have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MUU or IAUM?

MUU has higher volatility (54.78%) compared to IAUM (5.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MUU dropped -75.07% vs IAUM's -20.87%.

Which ETF is better, MUU or IAUM?

On 1-year performance, MUU leads with 6522.95% vs 32.42% for IAUM. On fees, IAUM is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, IAUM has been the lower-risk option at 5.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, MUU or IAUM?

Over the 1-year period, MUU has performed better with a 6522.95% return vs 32.42%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, MUU or IAUM?

IAUM is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 1.06% for MUU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, MUU or IAUM?

MUU has the higher dividend yield at 0.46%, compared with 0.00% for IAUM.

What is the main difference between MUU and IAUM?

MUU is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while IAUM is Gold. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.06% for MUU and 0.09% for IAUM.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MUU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (50.40 vs 1.24), 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.