ETF Versus

GLD vs IBIT

SPDR Gold Shares vs iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

GLD SPDR

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to gold securities. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.40%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.

AUM: $162.2B ER: 0.40% Yield: N/A Since: Nov 18, 2004
IBIT iShares

iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to cryptocurrency securities. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.25%. Launched in 2024, the fund has a 2-year track record.

AUM: $55.9B ER: 0.25% Yield: N/A Since: Jan 5, 2024

Quick Verdict

IBIT is significantly cheaper at 0.25% vs 0.40% expense ratio, saving you approximately $292 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, GLD has significantly outperformed with a 49.8% return vs -8.9%.

Key Metrics

Metric GLD IBIT
Expense Ratio 0.40% 0.25%
Dividend Yield N/A N/A
Fund Family SPDR iShares
Category Gold Cryptocurrency

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

85 130 175 220 265 310 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
GLD +169.9%
IBIT +54.6%

Performance Comparison

Period GLD IBIT Difference
1 Month -8.02% +2.73% -10.75%
3 Months +3.74% -20.64% +24.38%
6 Months +15.85% -37.45% +53.30%
YTD +9.98% -19.19% +29.17%
1 Year +49.83% -8.87% +58.70%
3 Years +135.15% +54.58% +80.57%
5 Years +169.92% +54.58% +115.34%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period GLD Fees IBIT Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $786 $495 $292
$10,000 20 years $3,334 $2,111 $1,223
$10,000 30 years $10,601 $6,758 $3,842
$50,000 10 years $3,932 $2,473 $1,459
$50,000 30 years $53,003 $33,792 $19,211
$100,000 30 years $106,005 $67,584 $38,421

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric GLD IBIT
Annualized Volatility 17.8% 51.0%
Max Drawdown -21.0% -49.4%
Sharpe Ratio 0.96 0.55

Dividend Comparison

Metric GLD IBIT
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.00 $0.00
Dividend Yield 0.00% 0.00%
Distribution Frequency None None

Top Holdings

IBIT Top Holdings

NameWeight
Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF#BTC100.00%
USD CASHUSD0.00%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IBIT if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose GLD if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

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