VGT vs. IAUM
VGT (Vanguard Information Technology ETF) and IAUM (iShares Gold Trust Micro) are both exchange-traded funds - VGT is a Technology Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA IMI Information Technology 25/50 Index, while IAUM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VGT returned 17.81%/yr vs 17.35%/yr for IAUM. Their 0.10 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. Both charge a 0.09% expense ratio.
Performance
VGT vs. IAUM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGT achieves a 20.36% return, which is significantly higher than IAUM's -6.09% return.
VGT
- 1D
- -0.38%
- 1M
- -3.47%
- 6M
- 21.30%
- YTD
- 20.36%
- 1Y
- 31.68%
- 3Y*
- 26.48%
- 5Y*
- 17.81%
- 10Y*
- 24.06%
- ALL TIME*
- 14.84%
IAUM
- 1D
- -1.46%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- 6M
- -16.73%
- YTD
- -6.09%
- 1Y
- 23.04%
- 3Y*
- 27.63%
- 5Y*
- 17.35%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 17.70%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $77.48M | $77.88M | $93.44M | |
| $440.89M | $515.41M | $573.34M |
VGT vs. IAUM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF | 20.36% | 21.77% | 29.30% | 52.66% | -29.70% | 15.80% |
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro | -6.09% | 64.27% | 27.04% | 13.12% | -0.49% | 3.87% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGT and IAUM is 0.26, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.10 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 29, 2021 | 0.10 |
The correlation between VGT and IAUM shifts across timeframes, from 0.10 (5 years) to 0.26 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VGT vs. IAUM — Risk / Return Rank
VGT
IAUM
VGT vs. IAUM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) 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.
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.
| VGT | IAUM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.48 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.17 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.94 | 0.88 | +1.06 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.23 | 1.90 | +3.33 |
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Drawdowns
VGT vs. IAUM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGT drawdown since its inception was -54.63%, which is greater than IAUM's maximum drawdown of -26.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGT and IAUM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGT | IAUM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.63% | -26.31% | -28.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.40% | -26.31% | +9.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.23% | -26.31% | -0.92% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.07% | -26.31% | -8.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.07% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.93% | -24.95% | +15.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.95% | -5.87% | -2.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.07% | 12.14% | -6.07% |
Volatility
VGT vs. IAUM - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) has a higher volatility of 8.42% compared to iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) at 6.29%. This indicates that VGT'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.
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Volatility by Period
| VGT | IAUM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.42% | 6.29% | +2.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.14% | 23.21% | -3.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.28% | 27.81% | -3.53% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.83% | 18.33% | +7.50% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.89% | 18.19% | +6.70% |
VGT vs. IAUM - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VGT and IAUM have an expense ratio of 0.09%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VGT vs. IAUM - Dividend Comparison
VGT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%, while IAUM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF | 0.38% | 0.40% | 0.60% | 0.65% | 0.91% | 0.64% | 0.82% | 1.11% | 1.29% | 0.99% | 1.31% | 1.28% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGT and IAUM have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VGT has higher volatility (8.42%) compared to IAUM (6.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGT dropped -54.63% vs IAUM's -26.31%.
On 5-year performance, VGT leads with 17.81% vs 17.35% for IAUM. Both ETFs have the same 0.09% expense ratio. On volatility, IAUM has been the lower-risk option at 6.29%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VGT has performed better with a 17.81% return vs 17.35%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGT and IAUM have the same expense ratio: 0.09% per year.
VGT has the higher dividend yield at 0.38%, compared with 0.00% for IAUM.
VGT is categorized as Technology Equities, while IAUM is Gold. VGT tracks MSCI USA IMI Information Technology 25/50 Index, while IAUM tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares.
VGT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.31 vs 0.83), 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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