XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XGDU.L (Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities) and EXUS.L (Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD) are both exchange-traded funds - XGDU.L is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Gold, while EXUS.L is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI World ex USA index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, XGDU.L returned 32.35% vs 22.21% for EXUS.L. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XGDU.L charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for EXUS.L.

Performance

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.L) and Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD (EXUS.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XGDU.L achieves a 3.77% return, which is significantly lower than EXUS.L's 8.97% return.

XGDU.L

• 1D: 0.58%
• 1M: -2.38%
• YTD: 3.77%
• 6M: 5.98%
• 1Y: 32.35%
• 3Y*: 31.54%
• 5Y*: 18.61%
• 10Y*: —

EXUS.L

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 2.75%
• YTD: 8.97%
• 6M: 11.45%
• 1Y: 22.21%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
XGDU.L Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities	3.77%	64.71%	21.55%
EXUS.L Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD	8.97%	31.98%	1.23%

Correlation

The correlation between XGDU.L and EXUS.L is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.43
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 7, 2024	0.34

Return for Risk

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

XGDU.L

XGDU.L Risk / Return Rank: 36
XGDU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
XGDU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
XGDU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 39
XGDU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
XGDU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 32

EXUS.L

EXUS.L Risk / Return Rank: 45
EXUS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
EXUS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
EXUS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 45
EXUS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
EXUS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 47

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.L vs. EXUS.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.L) and Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD (EXUS.L). 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.L	EXUS.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.30	1.51	-0.21
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.73	2.25	-0.53
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.28	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.84	2.05	-0.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.73	7.56	-2.82
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.L vs. EXUS.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XGDU.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.30, which is comparable to the EXUS.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XGDU.L and EXUS.L, 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.L	EXUS.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.30	1.51	-0.21
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.08	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.00	1.19	-0.18

Drawdowns

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XGDU.L drawdown since its inception was -21.59%, which is greater than EXUS.L's maximum drawdown of -12.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGDU.L and EXUS.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XGDU.L	EXUS.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.59%	-12.85%	-8.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.47%	-10.74%	-6.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.47%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.00%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.82%	-0.59%	-15.23%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.31%	-2.35%	-4.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.82%	2.93%	+3.89%

Volatility

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.L) has a higher volatility of 6.39% compared to Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD (EXUS.L) at 4.25%. This indicates that XGDU.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EXUS.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XGDU.L	EXUS.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.39%	4.25%	+2.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.85%	12.23%	+9.62%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.87%	14.64%	+10.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.32%	15.29%	+2.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.31%	15.29%	+2.02%

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

XGDU.L has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than EXUS.L's 0.15% 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

XGDU.L vs. EXUS.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither XGDU.L nor EXUS.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XGDU.L and EXUS.L in my portfolio?

XGDU.L and EXUS.L have a correlation of 0.43, 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.L or EXUS.L?

On fees, XGDU.L 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.L or EXUS.L?

XGDU.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for EXUS.L.

What is the main difference between XGDU.L and EXUS.L?

XGDU.L is categorized as Precious Metals, while EXUS.L is Global Equities. XGDU.L tracks Gold, while EXUS.L tracks MSCI World ex USA index. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XGDU.L and 0.15% for EXUS.L.