iShares Gold Trust (IAU) holds a lower expense ratio and significantly larger assets under management than the abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF, according to a comparison of the two funds. The silver-focused ETF has shown higher historical volatility and a deeper maximum drawdown than IAU. The comparison suggests gold retains structural advantages over silver for investors weighing the two metals.
A comparison of the iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and the abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF points to structural differences between the two precious-metals funds, according to an analysis published by fool.com.
Expense Ratio and Assets Under Management
The iShares Gold Trust carries a lower expense ratio than the abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF, according to the comparison. The gold-focused trust also holds significantly larger assets under management than the silver-focused fund.
Risk Profile
The comparison found that the abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF has shown higher historical volatility than the iShares Gold Trust. The silver ETF has also experienced a deeper maximum drawdown than the gold trust.
Key Takeaways
- Costs: iShares Gold Trust has the lower expense ratio of the two funds.
- Scale: iShares Gold Trust holds significantly larger assets under management.
- Volatility: abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF has shown higher historical volatility.
- Drawdowns: abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF has posted a deeper maximum drawdown than the gold trust.
The comparison suggests gold retains structural advantages over silver for investors weighing the two metals, based on the factors examined in the analysis.