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iShares Gold Trust

Holds physical gold bullion, similar to GLD but with a lower expense ratio (0.25% vs 0.40%). Each share represents a fractional interest in gold held in vaults. Popular lower-cost alternative for buy-and-hold gold allocation.

TER
0.25%
AUM
$30B
CAGR
11.8%
Volatility
16.9%
Max Drawdown
-42.6%
Data Range
2005-01 → 2026-04

Performance Analysis

Maximum Drawdown History

How far the ETF has fallen from its all-time high at each point. Deeper = more painful.

Current DD-8.0%
Worst DD-42.6%
Worst date2015-12

Rolling Returns

Annualized returns over rolling windows. Shows the range of outcomes depending on when you invested.

Avg return9.3%
Best42.0%
Worst-14.9%
% positive78%
220 periods

Key Facts

ISIN
US4642851053
Issuer
BlackRock
Benchmark
LBMA Gold Price PM
Total Expense Ratio (TER)
0.25%
Assets Under Management
$30B approx.
Inception Date
2005-01-21
Domicile
United States
Legal Structure
Grantor Trust
Dividend Policy
Accumulating (auto-reinvests)
Replication Method
Physical (Full Replication)
UCITS Status
✗ Not UCITS
Fund Currency
USD
Primary Exchange
NYSE Arca
Number of Holdings
~1
Backtest this ETFOfficial Fund Page

Who Is This ETF For?

Inflation hedge and portfolio diversifier. Historically low correlation with stocks and bonds.
Investors preferring automatic dividend reinvestment (no tax event on distributions in many jurisdictions).

Key Risks to Consider

No cash flows or dividends — returns depend entirely on price appreciation.

Non-UCITS: may have unfavorable tax treatment for non-US investors (US estate tax, withholding tax).

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Data & Methodology

Metadata sourced from official issuer documentation. Price data from Yahoo Finance (monthly adjusted close, includes reinvested dividends and splits). AUM figures are approximate and updated quarterly.

Data source: Yahoo Finance (adjusted close), iShares (metadata)Last verified: 2026-04-13