XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L
XGLS.L (Xtrackers Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC) and GLDW.L (WisdomTree Core Physical Gold) are both Precious Metals funds - XGLS.L tracks the Gold (GBP Hedged) while GLDW.L tracks the Gold. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XGLS.L returned 17.04%/yr vs 19.87%/yr for GLDW.L. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. XGLS.L charges 0.69%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for GLDW.L.
Performance
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XGLS.L achieves a 2.92% return, which is significantly lower than GLDW.L's 3.96% return.
XGLS.L
- 1D
- 0.61%
- 1M
- -2.45%
- YTD
- 2.92%
- 6M
- 5.12%
- 1Y
- 30.57%
- 3Y*
- 29.95%
- 5Y*
- 17.04%
- 10Y*
- 11.70%
GLDW.L
- 1D
- 0.63%
- 1M
- -1.34%
- YTD
- 3.96%
- 6M
- 5.38%
- 1Y
- 33.68%
- 3Y*
- 28.15%
- 5Y*
- 19.87%
- 10Y*
- —
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XGLS.L Xtrackers Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC | 2.92% | 63.07% | 24.85% | 11.63% | -1.63% | 4.35% |
GLDW.L WisdomTree Core Physical Gold | 3.96% | 53.57% | 28.18% | 7.26% | 11.82% | 9.07% |
Correlation
The correlation between XGLS.L and GLDW.L is 0.93, 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 | 0.93 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 16, 2021 | 0.80 |
The correlation between XGLS.L and GLDW.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.80 (5 years) to 0.93 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L — Risk / Return Rank
XGLS.L
GLDW.L
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC (XGLS.L) and WisdomTree Core Physical Gold (GLDW.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.
| XGLS.L | GLDW.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.29 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.67 | 1.88 | -0.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.36 | 5.05 | -0.69 |
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
| XGLS.L | GLDW.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.23 | 1.46 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.99 | 1.23 | -0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 1.30 | -0.95 |
Drawdowns
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XGLS.L drawdown since its inception was -46.55%, which is greater than GLDW.L's maximum drawdown of -17.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGLS.L and GLDW.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XGLS.L | GLDW.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.55% | -17.86% | -28.69% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.19% | -17.86% | -0.33% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.19% | -17.86% | -0.33% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.88% | -17.86% | -4.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.99% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.29% | -15.93% | -0.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.37% | -3.58% | -19.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.99% | 6.65% | +0.34% |
Volatility
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Volatility Comparison
Xtrackers Physical Gold GBP Hedged ETC (XGLS.L) has a higher volatility of 6.37% compared to WisdomTree Core Physical Gold (GLDW.L) at 5.09%. This indicates that XGLS.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GLDW.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XGLS.L | GLDW.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.37% | 5.09% | +1.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.81% | 19.81% | +2.00% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.78% | 22.95% | +1.83% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.25% | 16.09% | +1.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.52% | 15.94% | -0.42% |
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
XGLS.L has a 0.69% expense ratio, which is higher than GLDW.L's 0.12% expense ratio.
Dividends
XGLS.L vs. GLDW.L - Dividend Comparison
Neither XGLS.L nor GLDW.L has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.93, XGLS.L and GLDW.L move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
On fees, GLDW.L is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
GLDW.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.69% for XGLS.L.
XGLS.L tracks Gold (GBP Hedged), while GLDW.L tracks Gold. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and WisdomTree. Their fees differ too: 0.69% for XGLS.L and 0.12% for GLDW.L.
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