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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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BGLD vs IAU: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, BGLD returned −2.6% to IAU's +2.7%, and IAU charges 0.25% to BGLD's 0.91%.

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Net assets: $54m on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF, and $60.1bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares Gold Trust.

BGLD on its own →IAU on its own →
At a glance
−2.6%
BGLD total return, 1 year
+2.7%
IAU total return, 1 year
0.91%
BGLD expense ratio
0.25%
IAU expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IAU costs 0.66 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 5.3 points; IAU is far larger, $60.3bn against $54m.

BGLD vs IAU: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureBGLDIAU
Return
Total return, 1 year−2.6%+2.7%
Drawdown
Below its high24.6%, high on Jan 29, 2026
Index fall to the buffer0.0%
Fund price fall to the buffer0.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksGLDGold
The outcome period
Room to the cap15.0%
Buffer left, in index points6.5% of 10.0%
Days left in the period33
Period endsNov 30, 2026
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.91%0.25%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$54m$60.3bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Side by side

BGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF IAU iShares Gold Trust
Where it sits Buffer ETF Commodity ETF
Issuer First Trust iShares
What it is Defined outcome, 5% to 15% on GLD Holds gold
Total return, 1 year −2.6% +2.7%
Its benchmark over the same days +2.5% (GLD) +2.5% (GLD)
Gap to its benchmark −5.1 pts vs GLD +0.2 pts vs GLD
Expense ratio 0.91% 0.25%
Net assets, BGLD as of Oct 27, 2026 and IAU as of Oct 28, 2026 $54m $60.1bn

BGLD and IAU on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

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About each fund
BGLD

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 15.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, GLD can fall 0.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 6.5% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's GLD level. 33 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Nov 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

IAU

Its expense ratio is 0.25% a year, for the three months to Jun 30, 2026, as its 10-Q states.

IAU holds gold. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +2.7% with distributions reinvested, against +2.5% for its benchmark, the price of gold. It sat 24.6% below its high of Jan 29, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

Questions people ask

Are BGLD and IAU in the same category?
BGLD is a buffer ETF and IAU is a commodity ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, BGLD or IAU?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BGLD returned −2.6% and IAU +2.7%.
Which is cheaper, BGLD or IAU?
IAU is cheaper, by 0.66 percentage points a year. That is about $66 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's own filings.
Other comparisons
BGLD vs GLDMBGLD vs GLDIAU vs LYTEBWET vs IAUIAU vs XRTFGDL vs IAUIAU vs IAUIIAU vs IWC
Where to next
SPDR® Gold Trust →BGLD on its own →IAU on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →BGLD dividend history →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
BGLD filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
First Trust page for BGLD ↗
iShares page for IAU ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

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ETFIQ, BGLD against IAU, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/bgld-vs-iau

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