XAUT-USD vs. GLD

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Tether Gold USD (XAUT-USD) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD).

GLD is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price PM. It was launched on Nov 18, 2004.

Performance

XAUT-USD vs. GLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Tether Gold USD (XAUT-USD) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XAUT-USD vs. GLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
XAUT-USD Tether Gold USD	7.53%	64.73%	27.39%	13.75%	-0.68%	-4.67%	21.67%
GLD SPDR Gold Shares	10.47%	63.68%	26.66%	12.69%	-0.77%	-4.15%	21.23%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XAUT-USD achieves a 7.53% return, which is significantly lower than GLD's 10.47% return.

XAUT-USD

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: -12.31%
• YTD: 7.53%
• 6M: 20.56%
• 1Y: 49.22%
• 3Y*: 33.52%
• 5Y*: 21.85%
• 10Y*: —

GLD

• 1D: 1.75%
• 1M: -10.65%
• YTD: 10.47%
• 6M: 22.97%
• 1Y: 52.25%
• 3Y*: 33.69%
• 5Y*: 22.00%
• 10Y*: 14.11%

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

Return for Risk

XAUT-USD vs. GLD — Risk / Return Rank

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

XAUT-USD

XAUT-USD Risk / Return Rank: 97
XAUT-USD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
XAUT-USD Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
XAUT-USD Omega Ratio Rank: 96
XAUT-USD Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
XAUT-USD Martin Ratio Rank: 97

GLD

GLD Risk / Return Rank: 85
GLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
GLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
GLD Omega Ratio Rank: 85
GLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
GLD Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.

XAUT-USD vs. GLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Tether Gold USD (XAUT-USD) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). 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.

	XAUT-USD	GLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.81	1.89	-0.08
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.25	2.31	-0.06
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.35	-0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.88	2.70	+0.18
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.65	9.90	-1.25
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XAUT-USD vs. GLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XAUT-USD Sharpe Ratio is 1.81, which is comparable to the GLD Sharpe Ratio of 1.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XAUT-USD and GLD, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XAUT-USD	GLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.81	1.89	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.24	1.25	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.89	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.06	0.63	+0.43

Correlation

The correlation between XAUT-USD and GLD is 0.81, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Drawdowns

XAUT-USD vs. GLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XAUT-USD drawdown since its inception was -20.51%, smaller than the maximum GLD drawdown of -45.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XAUT-USD and GLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	XAUT-USD	GLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.51%	-45.56%	+25.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-20.33%	-19.21%	-1.12%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.51%	-21.03%	+0.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.00%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.70%	-11.71%	-3.99%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.15%	-16.17%	+10.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.78%	5.25%	+1.53%

Volatility

XAUT-USD vs. GLD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Tether Gold USD (XAUT-USD) is 9.65%, while SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a volatility of 10.48%. This indicates that XAUT-USD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XAUT-USD	GLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.65%	10.48%	-0.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.94%	24.34%	-0.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.58%	27.81%	-5.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.63%	17.75%	-3.12%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.03%	15.88%	-0.85%