ZGLD.SW vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about Swisscanto (CH) Gold ETF EA CHF (ZGLD.SW) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
ZGLD.SW and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ZGLD.SW is a passively managed fund by Swisscanto that tracks the performance of the Gold Bullion. It was launched on Mar 14, 2006. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. Both ZGLD.SW and IAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ZGLD.SW Swisscanto (CH) Gold ETF EA CHF | 7.40% | 45.59% | 35.04% | 3.06% | 0.89% | -1.00% | 12.95% | 16.46% | -1.49% | 7.06% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 9.22% | 43.25% | 36.85% | 2.73% | 0.73% | -1.17% | 14.49% | 15.98% | -0.80% | 8.11% |
Different Trading Currencies
ZGLD.SW is traded in CHF, while IAU is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the IAU values have been converted to CHF using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ZGLD.SW achieves a 7.40% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 9.22% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ZGLD.SW having a 11.79% annualized return and IAU not far ahead at 12.01%.
ZGLD.SW
- 1D
- 2.20%
- 1M
- -7.99%
- YTD
- 7.40%
- 6M
- 20.65%
- 1Y
- 34.02%
- 3Y*
- 26.57%
- 5Y*
- 17.33%
- 10Y*
- 11.79%
IAU
- 1D
- 3.71%
- 1M
- -7.61%
- YTD
- 9.22%
- 6M
- 21.54%
- 1Y
- 34.90%
- 3Y*
- 27.17%
- 5Y*
- 17.80%
- 10Y*
- 12.01%
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ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
ZGLD.SW has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ZGLD.SW vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
ZGLD.SW
IAU
ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Swisscanto (CH) Gold ETF EA CHF (ZGLD.SW) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| ZGLD.SW | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.46 | 1.37 | +0.09 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.92 | 1.82 | +0.10 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.28 | +0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.27 | 2.24 | +0.03 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.74 | 7.76 | +0.99 |
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
| ZGLD.SW | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.46 | 1.37 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.13 | 1.10 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.84 | 0.84 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.49 | 0.48 | +0.02 |
Correlation
The correlation between ZGLD.SW and IAU is 0.73, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
Neither ZGLD.SW nor IAU has paid dividends to shareholders.
Drawdowns
ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ZGLD.SW drawdown since its inception was -38.49%, roughly equal to the maximum IAU drawdown of -37.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZGLD.SW and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ZGLD.SW | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.49% | -45.14% | +6.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.91% | -19.18% | +2.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.94% | -20.93% | +3.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.94% | -21.82% | +4.88% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.76% | -13.20% | +2.44% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.24% | -15.98% | +1.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.39% | 5.18% | -0.79% |
Volatility
ZGLD.SW vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Swisscanto (CH) Gold ETF EA CHF (ZGLD.SW) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU) have volatilities of 11.14% and 10.83%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ZGLD.SW | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.14% | 10.83% | +0.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.66% | 22.74% | -2.08% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.60% | 25.64% | -2.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.45% | 16.22% | -0.77% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.01% | 14.41% | -0.40% |