GLD vs TLT: which was the better investment?
SPDR Gold Shares against iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Nov 18, 2004 to Jul 13, 2026.
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Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
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Frequently asked questions
Did GLD beat TLT?
Yes — measured from Nov 18, 2004 to Jul 13, 2026 with dividends reinvested, GLD came out ahead: $82,724 versus $19,160 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 10.3% annual return against 3.0%.
What would $10,000 in GLD be worth today?
$10,000 invested in SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) on Nov 18, 2004 would be worth about $82,724 as of Jul 13, 2026, a total return of 727.2% (10.3% per year). The same $10,000 in TLT would be worth $19,160.
Which was riskier — GLD or TLT?
GLD swung with an annualized volatility of 18.2% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -45.6%; TLT ran at 14.6% volatility with a -48.4% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.45 for GLD vs 0.07 for TLT.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Nov 18, 2004 through Jul 13, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with GLD vs TLT. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.