IAU ETF — iShares Gold Trust

iShares Gold Trust (IAU)

Updated October 2, 2026.

IAU is an ETF linked to LBMA Gold Price. its expense ratio is 0.25%. Total return is 813.0% over the past 21.7 years, 60.8 points behind SPY at 873.8%.

iShares Gold Trust is an ETF that provides exposure to the price of physical gold bullion, offering a simple alternative to owning gold directly while avoiding the costs and complications of storage, insurance, and assay. The fund does not distribute income to shareholders and carries an expense ratio of 0.25%. It appeals to investors seeking commodity exposure or portfolio diversification through gold without the logistics of physical ownership.

IAU performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-02.

Total return is 813.0% over the past 21.7 years, 60.8 points behind SPY at 873.8%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 7.3%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 26.4%.

IAU key facts

Issuer

iShares

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Commodity

Inception date

01/21/2005

Expense ratio

0.25%

Distribution frequency

None

Last close

$77.95 (as of 2026-10-02)

AUM

$63,446,002,450

Market cap

$85,441,110,016

Average volume

3636000.0

Beta

0.45

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (the posted rate) is the latest regular payout annualized by the fund's stated frequency, divided by the last close. Issuers often publish this as “Distribution Rate” on the fact sheet. Trailing-12-month yield is the sum of distributions paid in the last 12 months, split-adjusted, divided by the last close. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: iShares or company page; Fact sheet; Index: LBMA Gold Price; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

IAU risks and drawbacks

Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 26.4%.

Who may consider IAU — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (IAU does not currently distribute); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields; investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

Compare IAU

IAU vs similar funds:

• IAU vs GLD
• IAU vs IAUI

Frequently asked questions

More securities from iShares.