Data as of .
GDX vs ISTM: which is really different?
GDX and ISTM hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and ISTM returned more over the year.
ETFIQ Off-Index Score: ISTM scores higher
How much of it is not the index it is sold as an alternative to?
A percentile among the 379 thematic ETFs with a holdings filing. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All thematic ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
0% of the two portfolios are the same securities at the same weight.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, GDX and ISTM hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in GDX | Only in ISTM |
|---|---|
| Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd 10.99% | BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY 17.46% |
| Newmont Corp 10.88% | CASH COLLATERAL USD BZUFT 9.45% |
| Barrick Mining Corp 7.75% | USD CASH 3.30% |
| Wheaton Precious Metals Corp 5.74% | TREASURY BILL 2.92% |
| Franco-Nevada Corp 5.22% | TREASURY BILL 2.91% |
| Anglogold Ashanti Plc 4.96% | CRH AMERICA FINANCE INC 144A 1.51% |
| Kinross Gold Corp 4.12% | TREASURY BILL 1.46% |
| Gold Fields Ltd 4.11% | TREASURY BILL 1.45% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Sep 18, 2026.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | vs the Nasdaq-100 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDX | ISTM | GDX | ISTM | GDX | ISTM | |
| 3 months | +15.7% | +2.2% | +13.5 pts | −0.1 pts | +18.2 pts | +4.7 pts |
| 6 months | +19.2% | +11.0% | +1.1 pts | −7.0 pts | −5.1 pts | −13.2 pts |
| 1 year | +39.8% | +43.4% | +23.2 pts | +26.9 pts | +18.0 pts | +21.6 pts |
| 3 years | +236.3% | not published | +157.8 pts | not published | +138.1 pts | not published |
| Since launch | +133.2% | +86.4% | −670.3 pts | +2.1 pts | −1557.0 pts | −18.4 pts |
| GDX VanEck Gold Miners ETF Holds 59 stocks in gold miners, 11% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | ISTM iShares Strategic Metals ETF Holds 98 stocks in rare earth and critical materials, 0% of its weight in S&P 500 companies | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | VanEck | iShares |
| Theme | Gold miners | Rare earth and critical materials |
| In the S&P 500 | 10.9% | 0.0% |
| Active share vs the S&P 500 | 99.8% | 100.0% |
| In the Nasdaq-100 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 59 | 98 |
| Top ten, share of the fund | 58.5% | 46.0% |
| Expense ratio | 0.51% | 0.47% |
| Fee for the differing part | 0.51% | 0.47% |
| Total return, 1 year | +39.8% | +43.4% |
| vs the S&P 500 | +23.2 pts | +26.9 pts |
| vs the Nasdaq-100 | +18.0 pts | +21.6 pts |
| Below its high | −17.6% | −13.6% |
| Net assets | $28.4bn | $34m |
GDX in plain words
By weight, 11% of GDX'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 58% of the fund across 59 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +39.8% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 23.2 pts. It sits 17.6% below its all-time high of Feb 27, 2026.
ISTM in plain words
By weight, 0% of ISTM'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 46% of the fund across 98 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 18, 2026. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 the fund returned +43.4% with distributions reinvested against +16.6% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 26.9 pts. It sits 13.6% below its all-time high of Jan 29, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Do GDX and ISTM hold the same stocks?
- By their latest filings, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight, which is mostly different names. Overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of every security they share.
- Which is more different from the S&P 500, GDX or ISTM?
- GDX has 11% of its weight in S&P 500 names and ISTM has 0%, so ISTM differs more from the index.
- Which is cheaper, GDX or ISTM?
- GDX charges 0.51% a year and ISTM charges 0.47%, so ISTM is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, GDX against ISTM, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/themes/gdx-vs-istm Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.