VTI vs. IAU
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VTI returned 15.14%/yr vs 11.76%/yr for IAU. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
VTI vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 8.82% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -4.73% return. Over the past 10 years, VTI has outperformed IAU with an annualized return of 15.14%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively lower 11.76% annualized return.
VTI
- 1D
- -1.39%
- 1M
- -0.84%
- YTD
- 8.82%
- 6M
- 7.71%
- 1Y
- 24.22%
- 3Y*
- 20.62%
- 5Y*
- 11.90%
- 10Y*
- 15.14%
IAU
- 1D
- -1.87%
- 1M
- -8.82%
- YTD
- -4.73%
- 6M
- -8.68%
- 1Y
- 21.45%
- 3Y*
- 28.61%
- 5Y*
- 18.02%
- 10Y*
- 11.76%
VTI vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 8.82% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.73% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and IAU is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.07 |
Over the past year, VTI and IAU have become more correlated (0.28) than their long-term average of 0.07, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
IAU
VTI vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) 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.
| VTI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.17 | +0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.73 | 0.88 | +1.84 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.14 | 2.37 | +9.77 |
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Drawdowns
VTI vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -45.14% | -10.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -24.40% | +15.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | -24.40% | +5.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -24.40% | -0.96% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | -24.40% | -10.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.85% | -23.87% | +21.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.01% | -15.97% | +7.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.00% | 9.07% | -7.07% |
Volatility
VTI vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is 4.95%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 8.10%. This indicates that VTI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| VTI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.95% | 8.10% | -3.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.05% | 24.23% | -14.18% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.83% | 27.38% | -14.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.51% | 18.18% | -0.67% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.32% | 15.98% | +2.34% |
VTI vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VTI vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares 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% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.04% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and IAU have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (8.10%) compared to VTI (4.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, VTI leads with 15.14% vs 11.76% for IAU. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 4.95%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTI has performed better with a 15.14% return vs 11.76%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
VTI has the higher dividend yield at 1.04%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while IAU is Gold. VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTI and 0.25% for IAU.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs 0.79), 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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