XGDU.L vs. GOLB.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XGDU.L (Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities) and GOLB.L (Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF) are both Precious Metals funds - XGDU.L tracks the Gold while GOLB.L tracks the EMIX Global Mining Global Gold TR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XGDU.L returned 18.61%/yr vs 19.07%/yr for GOLB.L. A 0.76 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XGDU.L charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for GOLB.L.

Performance

XGDU.L vs. GOLB.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 Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF (GOLB.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XGDU.L is traded in USD, while GOLB.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the GOLB.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XGDU.L achieves a 3.77% return, which is significantly lower than GOLB.L's 5.63% 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*: —

GOLB.L

• 1D: 1.05%
• 1M: 0.42%
• YTD: 5.63%
• 6M: 11.18%
• 1Y: 73.04%
• 3Y*: 44.35%
• 5Y*: 19.07%
• 10Y*: 15.70%

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

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

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
XGDU.L Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities	3.77%	64.71%	26.20%	13.45%	0.32%	-3.91%	9.83%
GOLB.L Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF	5.63%	156.44%	12.15%	5.63%	-9.49%	-15.42%	11.49%

Correlation

The correlation between XGDU.L and GOLB.L is 0.81, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.81
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.78
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 28, 2020	0.76

The correlation between XGDU.L and GOLB.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.81 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XGDU.L vs. GOLB.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

GOLB.L

GOLB.L Risk / Return Rank: 48
GOLB.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
GOLB.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 44
GOLB.L Omega Ratio Rank: 46
GOLB.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
GOLB.L Martin Ratio Rank: 42

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. GOLB.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 Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF (GOLB.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	GOLB.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.30	1.67	-0.37
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.73	2.10	-0.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.27	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.84	2.52	-0.67
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.73	6.35	-1.61
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. GOLB.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XGDU.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.30, which is comparable to the GOLB.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.67. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XGDU.L and GOLB.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	GOLB.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.30	1.67	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.08	0.52	+0.56
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.43	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.00	0.13	+0.88

Drawdowns

XGDU.L vs. GOLB.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XGDU.L drawdown since its inception was -21.59%, smaller than the maximum GOLB.L drawdown of -85.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGDU.L and GOLB.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XGDU.L	GOLB.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.59%	-85.13%	+63.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.47%	-28.86%	+11.39%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.47%	-28.86%	+11.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.00%	-46.56%	+25.56%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-52.09%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.82%	-23.89%	+8.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.31%	-53.92%	+46.61%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.82%	11.47%	-4.65%

Volatility

XGDU.L vs. GOLB.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities (XGDU.L) is 6.39%, while Market Access NYSE Arca Gold Bugs UCITS ETF (GOLB.L) has a volatility of 15.54%. This indicates that XGDU.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GOLB.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XGDU.L	GOLB.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.39%	15.54%	-9.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.85%	34.57%	-12.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.87%	43.61%	-18.74%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.32%	36.51%	-19.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.31%	36.33%	-19.02%

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

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

Dividends

XGDU.L vs. GOLB.L - Dividend Comparison

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

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

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

XGDU.L and GOLB.L have a correlation of 0.81, 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 GOLB.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 GOLB.L?

XGDU.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for GOLB.L.

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

XGDU.L tracks Gold, while GOLB.L tracks EMIX Global Mining Global Gold TR USD. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and China Post Global. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XGDU.L and 0.65% for GOLB.L.