Which returned more over the last year, FXI or IAU?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, FXI returned −19.1% and IAU +2.7%.

Which is cheaper, FXI or IAU?

IAU is cheaper, by 0.48 percentage points a year. That is about $48 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's own filings.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

FXI vs IAU: Differences, Returns & Fees

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FXI is an equity index fund and IAU a commodity fund, and over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IAU returned +2.7% against −19.1%.

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Net assets on Oct 28, 2026: $3.7bn for iShares China Large-Cap ETF and $60.1bn for iShares Gold Trust.

FXI on its own →IAU on its own →

At a glance

−19.1%

FXI total return, 1 year

+2.7%

IAU total return, 1 year

0.73%

FXI expense ratio

0.25%

IAU expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IAU costs 0.48 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 21.8 points; IAU is 16.2 times larger.

FXI vs IAU: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	FXI	IAU
Return
Measure	FXI	IAU
Total return, 1 year	−19.1%	+2.7%
Drawdown
Measure	FXI	IAU
Below its high	32.7%, high on Feb 17, 2021	24.6%, high on Jan 29, 2026
Benchmark
Measure	FXI	IAU
What it tracks	FTSE China 50 Index	Gold
Cost and size
Measure	FXI	IAU
Expense ratio	0.73%	0.25%
Net assets	$3.7bn	$60.1bn
Holdings
Measure	FXI	IAU
Holdings in common	not published
In the S&P 500, by weight	0%
Holdings dated	Oct 27, 2026
Top ten holdings, share of the fund	58.4%

Method

Side by side

FXI iShares China Large-Cap ETF IAU iShares Gold Trust

Where it sits Stock ETF Commodity ETF

Issuer iShares iShares

What it is Tracks an index of China Large-Cap Holds gold

Total return, 1 year −19.1% +2.7%

Its benchmark over the same days not measured +2.5% (GLD)

Gap to its benchmark not measured +0.2 pts vs GLD

Expense ratio 0.73% 0.25%

Holdings 51 not counted

Net assets $3.7bn $60.1bn

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

Alert

About each fund

FXI

FXI tracks an index of China Large-Cap. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −19.1% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.73% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 51 positions, with the top ten at 58.4%. It sat 32.7% below its high of Feb 17, 2021 on Oct 28, 2026.

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

Which returned more over the last year, FXI or IAU?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, FXI returned −19.1% and IAU +2.7%.
Which is cheaper, FXI or IAU?: IAU is cheaper, by 0.48 percentage points a year. That is about $48 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's own filings.

Other comparisons

FXI vs GLDM FXI vs SLV FXI vs GLD FXI vs USO EWT vs IAU IAU vs INDA IAU vs URTH IAU vs VPL

Where to next

FXI on its own →IAU on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →FXI dividend history →FXI holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

FXI filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

FXI prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for FXI ↗

iShares page for IAU ↗

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

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

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

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