XGDU.DE vs. GLDI

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XGDU.DE (Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities) and GLDI (Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN) are both Precious Metals funds - XGDU.DE tracks the Gold while GLDI tracks the Credit Suisse NASDAQ Gold FLOWS 103 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XGDU.DE returned 19.58%/yr vs 12.34%/yr for GLDI. A 0.67 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XGDU.DE charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for GLDI.

Performance

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE) and Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN (GLDI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XGDU.DE is traded in EUR, while GLDI is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the GLDI values have been converted to EUR using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XGDU.DE achieves a 2.16% return, which is significantly lower than GLDI's 3.95% 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*: —

GLDI

• 1D: 0.56%
• 1M: 1.56%
• YTD: 3.95%
• 6M: 5.20%
• 1Y: 19.32%
• 3Y*: 16.52%
• 5Y*: 12.34%
• 10Y*: 8.78%

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

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
XGDU.DE Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities	2.16%	49.11%	34.18%	9.42%	7.01%	3.80%	-2.93%
GLDI Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN	3.95%	18.31%	25.54%	5.67%	5.02%	3.80%	-1.66%

Correlation

The correlation between XGDU.DE and GLDI is 0.67, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.67
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 1, 2020	0.67

The correlation between XGDU.DE and GLDI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.64 to 0.67 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI — Risk / Return Rank

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

XGDU.DE

XGDU.DE Risk / Return Rank: 35
XGDU.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
XGDU.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
XGDU.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 39
XGDU.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
XGDU.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 31

GLDI

GLDI Risk / Return Rank: 40
GLDI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
GLDI Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
GLDI Omega Ratio Rank: 49
GLDI Calmar Ratio Rank: 32
GLDI Martin Ratio Rank: 39

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.

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE) and Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN (GLDI). 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	GLDI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.28	1.36	-0.08
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.73	1.79	-0.06
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.28	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.79	1.47	+0.31
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.58	5.38	-0.80
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XGDU.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.28, which is comparable to the GLDI Sharpe Ratio of 1.36. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XGDU.DE and GLDI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XGDU.DE	GLDI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.28	1.36	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.21	1.12	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.78	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.99	0.47	+0.52

Drawdowns

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XGDU.DE drawdown since its inception was -18.74%, smaller than the maximum GLDI drawdown of -27.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGDU.DE and GLDI.

Drawdown Indicators

	XGDU.DE	GLDI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.74%	-27.73%	+8.99%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.57%	-13.17%	-3.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.57%	-13.17%	-3.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.57%	-13.17%	-3.40%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-16.80%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.48%	-6.57%	-8.91%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.27%	-8.80%	+2.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.48%	3.60%	+2.88%

Volatility

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.DE) has a higher volatility of 5.51% compared to Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN (GLDI) at 3.16%. This indicates that XGDU.DE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GLDI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XGDU.DE	GLDI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.51%	3.16%	+2.35%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.20%	12.48%	+7.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.12%	14.23%	+8.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.02%	11.04%	+4.98%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.78%	11.29%	+4.49%

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Expense Ratio Comparison

XGDU.DE has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than GLDI's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

XGDU.DE vs. GLDI - Dividend Comparison

XGDU.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders, while GLDI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 22.22%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GLDI Credit Suisse X-Links Gold Shares Covered Call ETN	22.22%	16.15%	10.45%	10.02%	13.73%	10.65%	14.25%	7.25%	5.33%	7.77%	17.26%	10.07%
XGDU.DE Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XGDU.DE and GLDI in my portfolio?

XGDU.DE and GLDI have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XGDU.DE or GLDI?

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.

Which ETF is cheaper, XGDU.DE or GLDI?

XGDU.DE is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for GLDI.

What is the main difference between XGDU.DE and GLDI?

XGDU.DE tracks Gold, while GLDI tracks Credit Suisse NASDAQ Gold FLOWS 103 Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and Credit Suisse. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XGDU.DE and 0.65% for GLDI.