PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PHYS.TO (Sprott Physical Gold Trust) is a stock, while VUN.TO (Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF) is Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index CAD. Over the past 5 years, PHYS.TO returned 20.78%/yr vs 15.50%/yr for VUN.TO. At a correlation of -0.07, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS.TO) and Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (VUN.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PHYS.TO achieves a 2.89% return, which is significantly lower than VUN.TO's 12.43% return.

PHYS.TO

• 1D: -0.66%
• 1M: 0.26%
• YTD: 2.89%
• 6M: 3.81%
• 1Y: 32.90%
• 3Y*: 31.40%
• 5Y*: 20.78%
• 10Y*: —

VUN.TO

• 1D: -0.39%
• 1M: 7.17%
• YTD: 12.43%
• 6M: 10.44%
• 1Y: 29.34%
• 3Y*: 23.05%
• 5Y*: 15.50%
• 10Y*: 15.43%

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

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
PHYS.TO Sprott Physical Gold Trust	2.89%	56.35%	37.41%	10.65%	4.96%	-5.37%	21.38%	12.13%	4.21%
VUN.TO Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF	12.43%	11.43%	33.76%	23.00%	-14.20%	24.54%	18.22%	23.99%	3.83%

Correlation

The correlation between PHYS.TO and VUN.TO is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.09
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.05
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 6, 2018	-0.07

The correlation between PHYS.TO and VUN.TO shifts across timeframes, from -0.07 (all time) to 0.09 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PHYS.TO

PHYS.TO Risk / Return Rank: 73
PHYS.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
PHYS.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
PHYS.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 73
PHYS.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
PHYS.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 73

VUN.TO

VUN.TO Risk / Return Rank: 72
VUN.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
VUN.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
VUN.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 74
VUN.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
VUN.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS.TO) and Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (VUN.TO). 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.

	PHYS.TO	VUN.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.27	2.47	-1.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.65	3.39	-1.75
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.45	-0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.82	3.46	-1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.49	12.96	-8.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PHYS.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.27, which is lower than the VUN.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.47. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PHYS.TO and VUN.TO, 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

	PHYS.TO	VUN.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.27	2.47	-1.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.21	1.01	+0.20
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.93	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.60	1.01	-0.41

Drawdowns

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PHYS.TO drawdown since its inception was -27.08%, roughly equal to the maximum VUN.TO drawdown of -28.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PHYS.TO and VUN.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PHYS.TO	VUN.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-27.08%	-28.19%	+1.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.14%	-8.51%	-9.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.14%	-19.88%	+1.74%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.14%	-23.67%	+5.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-28.19%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.29%	-0.39%	-15.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.83%	-3.80%	-4.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.34%	2.27%	+5.07%

Volatility

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Volatility Comparison

Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS.TO) has a higher volatility of 5.61% compared to Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (VUN.TO) at 3.04%. This indicates that PHYS.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUN.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PHYS.TO	VUN.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.61%	3.04%	+2.57%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	22.21%	8.81%	+13.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.13%	11.97%	+14.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.21%	15.43%	+1.78%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.82%	16.70%	+10.12%

Dividends

PHYS.TO vs. VUN.TO - Dividend Comparison

PHYS.TO has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VUN.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.74%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PHYS.TO Sprott Physical 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%
VUN.TO Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF	0.74%	0.84%	0.93%	1.10%	1.21%	0.97%	1.15%	1.45%	1.52%	1.39%	1.49%	1.49%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PHYS.TO and VUN.TO in my portfolio?

PHYS.TO and VUN.TO have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.