SPOT vs. IAU
SPOT (Spotify Technology S.A.) is a stock, while IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Over the past 5 years, SPOT returned 14.62%/yr vs 17.23%/yr for IAU. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
SPOT vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPOT achieves a -17.00% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's -2.44% return.
SPOT
- 1D
- -0.82%
- 1M
- 11.86%
- YTD
- -17.00%
- 6M
- -19.37%
- 1Y
- -31.42%
- 3Y*
- 47.06%
- 5Y*
- 14.62%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -9.54%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
SPOT vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPOT Spotify Technology S.A. | -17.00% | 29.80% | 138.08% | 138.01% | -66.27% | -25.62% | 110.40% | 31.76% | -31.59% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -4.65% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPOT and IAU is -0.03, 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 | -0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 3, 2018 | 0.06 |
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Return for Risk
SPOT vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
SPOT
IAU
SPOT vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Spotify Technology S.A. (SPOT) 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.
| SPOT | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.58 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.89 | 1.19 | -0.29 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.67 | 0.99 | -1.66 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.16 | 2.83 | -3.99 |
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Drawdowns
SPOT vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPOT drawdown since its inception was -80.51%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPOT and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPOT | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -80.51% | -45.14% | -35.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -46.80% | -24.40% | -22.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -46.80% | -24.40% | -22.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -76.39% | -24.40% | -51.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -24.40% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -37.88% | -22.03% | -15.85% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -30.87% | -15.97% | -14.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 27.16% | 8.47% | +18.69% |
Volatility
SPOT vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Spotify Technology S.A. (SPOT) has a higher volatility of 16.23% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 7.70%. This indicates that SPOT'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
| SPOT | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.23% | 7.70% | +8.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 37.28% | 23.94% | +13.34% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 45.28% | 27.17% | +18.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 47.58% | 18.16% | +29.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 47.36% | 16.02% | +31.34% |
Dividends
SPOT vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
Neither SPOT nor IAU has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
SPOT and IAU have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPOT has higher volatility (16.23%) compared to IAU (7.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPOT dropped -80.51% vs IAU's -45.14%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs -0.70), 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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