XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE
XGDU.DE (Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities) and DFEN.DE (VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A) are both exchange-traded funds - XGDU.DE is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Gold, while DFEN.DE is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the MarketVector Global Defense Industry Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, XGDU.DE returned 29.40% vs 14.03% for DFEN.DE. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XGDU.DE charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.55%/yr for DFEN.DE.
Performance
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XGDU.DE achieves a 2.16% return, which is significantly lower than DFEN.DE's 4.02% return.
XGDU.DE
- 1D
- -1.23%
- 1M
- -2.15%
- YTD
- 2.16%
- 6M
- 5.79%
- 1Y
- 29.40%
- 3Y*
- 27.75%
- 5Y*
- 19.58%
- 10Y*
- —
DFEN.DE
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- -3.33%
- YTD
- 4.02%
- 6M
- 6.91%
- 1Y
- 14.03%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
XGDU.DE Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities | 2.16% | 49.11% | 34.18% | 4.42% |
DFEN.DE VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A | 4.02% | 50.76% | 51.97% | 8.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between XGDU.DE and DFEN.DE is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 20, 2023 | 0.14 |
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Return for Risk
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE — Risk / Return Rank
XGDU.DE
DFEN.DE
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE) and VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A (DFEN.DE). 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.
| XGDU.DE | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.11 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.79 | 0.75 | +1.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.58 | 1.81 | +2.77 |
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
| XGDU.DE | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.28 | 0.56 | +0.72 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.21 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.99 | 1.75 | -0.76 |
Drawdowns
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XGDU.DE drawdown since its inception was -18.74%, roughly equal to the maximum DFEN.DE drawdown of -18.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGDU.DE and DFEN.DE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XGDU.DE | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.74% | -18.60% | -0.14% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.57% | -18.60% | +2.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.57% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.57% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.48% | -15.21% | -0.27% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.27% | -3.27% | -3.00% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.48% | 7.72% | -1.24% |
Volatility
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE) is 5.51%, while VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A (DFEN.DE) has a volatility of 7.38%. This indicates that XGDU.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFEN.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XGDU.DE | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.51% | 7.38% | -1.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.20% | 19.16% | +1.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.12% | 24.79% | -1.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 21.47% | -5.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.78% | 21.47% | -5.69% |
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison
XGDU.DE has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than DFEN.DE's 0.55% expense ratio.
Dividends
XGDU.DE vs. DFEN.DE - Dividend Comparison
Neither XGDU.DE nor DFEN.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
XGDU.DE and DFEN.DE have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XGDU.DE is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XGDU.DE is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for DFEN.DE.
XGDU.DE is categorized as Precious Metals, while DFEN.DE is Aerospace & Defense. XGDU.DE tracks Gold, while DFEN.DE tracks MarketVector Global Defense Industry Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XGDU.DE and 0.55% for DFEN.DE.
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