IAU vs SPY: which was the better investment?
iShares Gold Trust against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Jan 28, 2005 to Aug 28, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did IAU beat SPY?
It was effectively a tie over the full overlap period (Jan 28, 2005 to Aug 28, 2026): $10,000 grew to $98,173 in IAU and $97,094 in SPY, a difference of under 2%.
What would $10,000 in IAU be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares Gold Trust (IAU) on Jan 28, 2005 would be worth about $98,173 as of Aug 28, 2026, a total return of 881.7% (11.2% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $97,094.
Which was riskier — IAU or SPY?
IAU swung with an annualized volatility of 18.3% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -45.1%; SPY ran at 18.9% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.50 for IAU vs 0.48 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Jan 28, 2005 through Aug 28, 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 IAU vs SPY. 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.