LIVE
SGOL
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF · Commodities
$40.16
-5.93% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
GLD
SPDR Gold Shares · Commodities
$387.12
-5.92% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across expense ratio, momentum, yield, fund size, risk
SGOL
2
GLD
2
Comparison scoreboard
MIXED SETUPExp. Ratio
SGOL ✓0.17%
GLD 0.40%
1Y Return
SGOL ✓+25.03%
GLD +24.77%
Div. Yield
SGOL 0.00%
GLD 0.00%
AUM
SGOL $7.71B
GLD ✓$150.37B
Beta
SGOL 0.17
GLD ✓0.17
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
SGOL vs GLD Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
SGOL and GLD are both physically-backed gold ETFs but differ in custody geography and expense ratio. SGOL stores gold in Swiss vaults at a lower 0.17% expense ratio. GLD stores gold in London at a higher 0.40% expense ratio but offers vastly superior liquidity and options market depth. For cost-sensitive long-term gold allocation, SGOL's expense advantage compounds significantly; for active trading or institutional use requiring deep liquidity and options, GLD dominates.
SGOL vs GLD is the lower-cost Swiss-vaulted gold ETF with geographic custody diversification (SGOL) versus the largest and most liquid gold ETF with a deep options market at a higher management fee (GLD) — cost efficiency vs trading liquidity tradeoff.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
SGOL and GLD are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. SGOL has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+25.03% vs +24.77% for GLD).
Normalized 1Y performance
SGOL
GLD
Recent returns
SGOL
GLD
Who should consider this stock?
SGOL may suit investors who:
- →prefer lower expense ratio gold ETF with Swiss vault storage outside the US banking system as geographic custody diversification
- →hold gold as a long-term buy-and-hold allocation where the 0.17% vs 0.40% fee difference compounds to meaningful savings over decades
- →value non-US, non-UK physical gold custody for geopolitical or financial system diversification purposes
- →trade gold infrequently enough that SGOL's lower liquidity vs GLD does not create meaningful execution cost disadvantages
GLD may suit investors who:
- →prioritize maximum liquidity for rapid position entry and exit in large size — GLD's $50B+ AUM makes it the only gold ETF for institutional trading
- →use GLD options market for hedging portfolios or generating income through gold covered call strategies
- →hold gold in institutional mandates that specifically reference GLD as the standard gold ETF benchmark
- →trade gold frequently in large size where bid-ask spread matters more than management fee differences
Performance & AI score
| Metric | SGOL | GLD |
|---|---|---|
| ETF score | 65.0 | 68.0 |
| Latest close | $40.16 | $387.12 |
| 1M return | -5.93% | -5.92% |
| 6M return | -2.95% | -3.05% |
| 1Y return | +25.03% | +24.77% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | SGOL | GLD |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $12.5K (+25.0%) started 2025-06-18 | $12.48K (+24.8%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $23.72K (+137.2%) started 2021-06-18 | $23.47K (+134.7%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $31.99K (+219.9%) started 2016-06-20 | $31.42K (+214.2%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fund characteristics
| Metric | SGOL | GLD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.17% | 0.40% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $7.71B | $150.37B |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Trailing P/E | N/A | N/A |
| Beta | 0.17 | 0.17 |
| 52-week change | 25.03% | 24.77% |
Risk & fund metrics
| Metric | SGOL | GLD |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y return | +25.03% | +24.77% |
| 6M return | -2.95% | -3.05% |
| 1M return | -5.93% | -5.92% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.80 | 0.78 |
| Beta | 0.17 | 0.17 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 5Y CAGR | +18.86% | +18.61% |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
SGOL max drawdown24.37%
GLD max drawdown24.46%
SGOL max wkly drop12.25%
GLD max wkly drop12.25%
5Y risk snapshot
SGOL max drawdown24.37%
GLD max drawdown24.46%
SGOL max wkly drop12.25%
GLD max wkly drop12.25%
10Y risk snapshot
SGOL max drawdown24.37%
GLD max drawdown24.46%
SGOL max wkly drop12.25%
GLD max wkly drop12.25%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | SGOL | GLD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +25.03% | +24.77% |
| CAGR | +25.05% | +24.79% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.80 | 0.78 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.37% | 24.46% | |
| Max daily drop | 10.04% | 10.27% | |
| Max wkly drop | 12.25% | 12.25% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +137.21% | +134.72% |
| CAGR | +18.86% | +18.61% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.80 | 0.79 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.37% | 24.46% | |
| Max daily drop | 10.04% | 10.27% | |
| Max wkly drop | 12.25% | 12.25% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +219.87% | +214.20% |
| CAGR | +12.34% | +12.14% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.53 | 0.51 | |
| Max drawdown | 24.37% | 24.46% | |
| Max daily drop | 10.04% | 10.27% | |
| Max wkly drop | 12.25% | 12.25% |
Fund overview
| Category | SGOL | GLD |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | SPDR Gold Shares |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratio | 0.17% | 0.40% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $7.71B | $150.37B |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SGOL strengths
- →Swiss vault storage appeals to investors seeking non-US custody for gold — geographic diversification of physical metal outside US banking system
- →Lower expense ratio than GLD (0.17% vs 0.40%) significantly reduces long-term total cost of ownership for gold allocation
- →Independent third-party vault custodian (Brinks Switzerland) with annual audits provides transparency into physical gold holdings
GLD strengths
- →Largest gold ETF globally with $50B+ AUM providing the best liquidity for large institutional and active traders — GLD options market is deep and well-established
- →State Street's brand and HSBC London custody is the gold ETF standard — most institutional mandates referencing a gold ETF default to GLD
- →Deep options market for GLD enables sophisticated gold portfolio strategies (covered calls, protective puts) not available on smaller ETFs like SGOL
Risks to watch — SGOL
- →Much smaller AUM than GLD or IAU — SGOL's lower liquidity means wider bid-ask spreads in volatile markets compared to multi-billion-dollar GLD
- →abrdn as fund manager is less well-known than State Street (GLD) — brand recognition affects institutional adoption and fund longevity confidence
- →Gold ETFs generally underperform direct gold ownership for large investors (futures rollover costs, management fees, counterparty risk) — ETF wrapper remains a compromise
Risks to watch — GLD
- →GLD's 0.40% expense ratio is higher than SGOL (0.17%) and IAU (0.25%) — over a 10-year period, the cost difference compounds meaningfully against long-term holders
- →London vault storage (HSBC) may not satisfy investors seeking non-UK/non-US custody diversification that SGOL's Swiss vaults provide
- →As a commodity ETF, GLD tracks gold prices perfectly but earns no income — investors accepting management fees for a return matching spot gold could own gold directly at lower cost
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