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Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Across categories

IAU vs REMX: Differences, Returns & Fees

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Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, IAU returned +2.7% to REMX's −19.2%, and IAU charges 0.25% to REMX's 0.53%.

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Net assets: $60.1bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares Gold Trust, and $1.5bn on Oct 27, 2026 for VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF.

IAU on its own →REMX on its own →
At a glance
+2.7%
IAU total return, 1 year
−19.2%
REMX total return, 1 year
0.25%
IAU expense ratio
0.53%
REMX expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IAU costs 0.28 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 21.9 points; IAU is far larger, $60.3bn against $1.5bn.

IAU vs REMX: Differences, Returns & Fees
MeasureIAUREMX
Return
Total return, 1 year+2.7%−19.2%
Drawdown
Below its high24.6%, high on Jan 29, 2026
Below its all-time high75.1%, high on Apr 11, 2011
Against its benchmark
What it tracksGoldRare earth and critical materials
Against its benchmark, 1 yearbehind by 32.6 pts
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.25%0.53%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$60.3bn$1.5bn
Active share vs the S&P 500100%
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
In the S&P 500, by weight9%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund61%

Method

Side by side

IAU iShares Gold Trust REMX VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF
Where it sits Commodity ETF Thematic ETF
Issuer iShares VanEck
What it is Holds gold Rare earth and critical materials
Total return, 1 year +2.7% −19.2%
Its benchmark over the same days +2.5% (GLD) +13.4% (ACWI)
Gap to its benchmark +0.2 pts vs GLD −32.6 pts vs ACWI
Expense ratio 0.25% 0.53%
Holdings not counted 32
Net assets, IAU as of Oct 28, 2026 and REMX as of Oct 27, 2026 $60.1bn $1.5bn

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

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About each fund
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.

REMX

By weight, 9% of REMX's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 61% of the fund across 32 positions, as published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 the fund returned −19.2% with distributions reinvested against +13.4% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI Index, so a holder was behind by 32.6 pts. It sits 75.1% below its all-time high of Apr 11, 2011.

Questions people ask

Are IAU and REMX in the same category?
IAU is a commodity ETF and REMX is a thematic ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
Which returned more over the last year, IAU or REMX?
In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IAU returned +2.7% and REMX −19.2%.
Which is cheaper, IAU or REMX?
IAU is cheaper, by 0.28 percentage points a year. That is about $28 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's own filings.
Other comparisons
IAU vs IBBAIRR vs IAUIAU vs XBIIAU vs LYTEREMX vs SLVBWET vs REMXGLD vs REMXREMX vs USO
Where to next
IAU on its own →REMX on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →REMX dividend history →REMX holdings →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
iShares page for IAU ↗
REMX filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
REMX prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗
VanEck website ↗

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

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

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