SGOL vs. BGLD
SGOL (abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF) and BGLD (FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOL is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt), while BGLD is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by FT Vest. SGOL is passively managed, while BGLD is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, SGOL returned 18.60%/yr vs 11.30%/yr for BGLD. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SGOL charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.91%/yr for BGLD.
Performance
SGOL vs. BGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOL achieves a 3.85% return, which is significantly higher than BGLD's 0.78% return.
SGOL
- 1D
- 0.85%
- 1M
- -1.66%
- YTD
- 3.85%
- 6M
- 6.30%
- 1Y
- 32.57%
- 3Y*
- 31.48%
- 5Y*
- 18.60%
- 10Y*
- 13.40%
BGLD
- 1D
- 0.46%
- 1M
- 0.72%
- YTD
- 0.78%
- 6M
- 1.77%
- 1Y
- 13.34%
- 3Y*
- 19.43%
- 5Y*
- 11.30%
- 10Y*
- —
SGOL vs. BGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 3.85% | 63.99% | 26.90% | 12.99% | -0.51% | -2.28% |
BGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF | 0.78% | 33.03% | 21.80% | 13.24% | -2.42% | -5.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOL and BGLD is 0.72, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.76 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 22, 2021 | 0.82 |
The correlation between SGOL and BGLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.72 (1 year) to 0.82 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SGOL vs. BGLD — Risk / Return Rank
SGOL
BGLD
SGOL vs. BGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) and FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF (BGLD). 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.
| SGOL | BGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.22 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.71 | 1.21 | +0.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.20 | 3.81 | +0.39 |
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
| SGOL | BGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.24 | 1.13 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.05 | 1.14 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.84 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.55 | 1.06 | -0.51 |
Drawdowns
SGOL vs. BGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOL drawdown since its inception was -45.51%, which is greater than BGLD's maximum drawdown of -16.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOL and BGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOL | BGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.51% | -16.19% | -29.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.14% | -11.11% | -8.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.14% | -11.11% | -8.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.92% | -15.52% | -5.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.56% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.02% | -6.79% | -10.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.41% | -3.64% | -14.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.78% | 3.51% | +4.27% |
Volatility
SGOL vs. BGLD - Volatility Comparison
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) has a higher volatility of 5.47% compared to FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF (BGLD) at 2.18%. This indicates that SGOL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOL | BGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.47% | 2.18% | +3.29% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 22.94% | 10.05% | +12.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.32% | 11.90% | +14.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.88% | 9.97% | +7.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.91% | 9.89% | +6.02% |
SGOL vs. BGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOL has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than BGLD's 0.91% expense ratio.
Dividends
SGOL vs. BGLD - Dividend Comparison
SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 43.98%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF | 43.98% | 44.32% | 25.04% | 10.49% | 0.40% |
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SGOL and BGLD have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SGOL has higher volatility (5.47%) compared to BGLD (2.18%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOL dropped -45.51% vs BGLD's -16.19%.
On 5-year performance, SGOL leads with 18.60% vs 11.30% for BGLD. On fees, SGOL is cheaper at 0.17% per year. On volatility, BGLD has been the lower-risk option at 2.18%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SGOL has performed better with a 18.60% return vs 11.30%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOL is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.91% for BGLD.
BGLD has the higher dividend yield at 43.98%, compared with 0.00% for SGOL.
SGOL is categorized as Gold, while BGLD is Defined Outcome. They also come from different issuers: abrdn and FT Vest. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for SGOL and 0.91% for BGLD.
SGOL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.24 vs 1.13), 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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