IAU
iShares Gold Trust (IAU)
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) charges a 0.25% expense ratio. On a $10,000 investment that is about $25.00 per year in fund fees, or about $250 per year on $100,000. The fee is deducted automatically from the fund's value, not billed separately. See how expense ratios work →
Performance (data as of Jul 14, 2026): YTD -6.7% · 1-year +22.5% · 3-year +28.6% annualized · 5-year +17.6% annualized. $60.1B in assets. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
The same physical gold as GLD at 0.25% against GLD's 0.40%, a $150 annual savings on every $100,000. GLDM goes further at 0.10%. All three trust structures hold London Good Delivery bars under the same custody framework. For a long-term holder, the fee is the only practical difference.
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Editorial opinion based on documented fund characteristics, not personalized investment advice. ETF BFF is not a registered investment advisor.
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📈 Performance history
Annualized where notedReturns are price-based and exclude dividend reinvestment. Total return will typically be higher by approximately the fund's annual yield. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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Top Holdings
| Gold (Physical) | 100% |
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What you actually own
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❓ Questions people actually ask about this ETF
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IAU's expense ratio is 0.25% per year. On a $10,000 investment, that is roughly $25.00 per year in fund fees, automatically deducted from the fund's NAV, not billed separately. What expense ratios cover, and what a good one looks like →
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The same physical gold as GLD at 0.25% against GLD's 0.40%, a $150 annual savings on every $100,000. GLDM goes further at 0.10%. All three trust structures hold London Good Delivery bars under the same custody framework. For a long-term holder, the fee is the only practical difference. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Educational only, not personalized investment advice. ETF BFF is not a registered investment advisor.
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IAU returned +22.5% over the trailing 12 months. Past performance does not guarantee future results. ETF returns fluctuate with market conditions. Educational only, not personalized investment advice.
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IAU (iShares Gold Trust) has $60.1B in assets under management. AUM is a measure of fund size and liquidity. Larger funds generally have tighter bid-ask spreads and are less likely to close. It is not a measure of quality or expected returns.
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IAU's dividend yield and payment schedule are shown in the key facts section of this fact sheet. ETF dividends are passed through from the fund's underlying holdings. Not all ETFs pay dividends. Educational only, not personalized investment advice.
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Use the ETF BFF comparison tool at etfbff.com/research/compare/ to run a side-by-side analysis of IAU against similar ETFs, covering expense ratios, holdings overlap, performance history, and our plain-English verdict on which one fits your goals.
All answers are educational and general in nature, not personal financial advice. Always verify data with the fund issuer and do your own research before investing.