OUNZ vs. SLV
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV).
OUNZ and SLV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. OUNZ is a passively managed fund by Merk that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). It was launched on May 16, 2014. SLV is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Silver Price. It was launched on Apr 21, 2006. Both OUNZ and SLV 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
OUNZ vs. SLV - Performance Comparison
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OUNZ vs. SLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OUNZ VanEck Merk Gold Trust | 8.61% | 63.95% | 26.75% | 12.83% | -0.51% | -4.00% | 24.71% | 18.00% | -2.06% | 12.82% |
SLV iShares Silver Trust | 5.77% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, OUNZ achieves a 8.61% return, which is significantly higher than SLV's 5.77% return. Over the past 10 years, OUNZ has underperformed SLV with an annualized return of 14.00%, while SLV has yielded a comparatively higher 16.87% annualized return.
OUNZ
- 1D
- 3.75%
- 1M
- -11.06%
- YTD
- 8.61%
- 6M
- 21.13%
- 1Y
- 49.47%
- 3Y*
- 33.11%
- 5Y*
- 21.74%
- 10Y*
- 14.00%
SLV
- 1D
- 7.27%
- 1M
- -19.83%
- YTD
- 5.77%
- 6M
- 60.82%
- 1Y
- 119.88%
- 3Y*
- 45.50%
- 5Y*
- 24.10%
- 10Y*
- 16.87%
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OUNZ vs. SLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
OUNZ has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than SLV's 0.50% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
OUNZ vs. SLV — Risk / Return Rank
OUNZ
SLV
OUNZ vs. SLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV). 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.
| OUNZ | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.80 | 2.11 | -0.31 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.24 | 2.20 | +0.04 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.39 | -0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.70 | 2.82 | -0.13 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.98 | 8.79 | +1.19 |
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
| OUNZ | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.80 | 2.11 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.24 | 0.69 | +0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.88 | 0.54 | +0.34 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.70 | 0.25 | +0.45 |
Correlation
The correlation between OUNZ and SLV is 0.77, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
OUNZ vs. SLV - Dividend Comparison
Neither OUNZ nor SLV has paid dividends to shareholders.
Drawdowns
OUNZ vs. SLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum OUNZ drawdown since its inception was -21.77%, smaller than the maximum SLV drawdown of -76.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for OUNZ and SLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| OUNZ | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.77% | -76.28% | +54.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.14% | -42.45% | +23.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.01% | -42.45% | +21.44% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.76% | -42.81% | +21.05% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.18% | -35.47% | +22.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.48% | -44.76% | +37.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.17% | 13.63% | -8.46% |
Volatility
OUNZ vs. SLV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) is 10.95%, while iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a volatility of 18.91%. This indicates that OUNZ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| OUNZ | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.95% | 18.91% | -7.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.08% | 57.27% | -33.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.59% | 57.07% | -29.48% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.65% | 35.28% | -17.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.88% | 31.36% | -15.48% |