iShares Gold Trust vs Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? iShares Gold Trust trades at $82.79, while Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF trades at $382. The key difference: Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares Gold Trust nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| IAU | VTI | |
|---|---|---|
Sector | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture | — |
52-Week High | $101.57 | $381.78 |
52-Week Low | $62.49 | $311.68 |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
IAU, the iShares Gold Trust ETF, trades at $82.98 with a 0.57% daily gain amid bullish technical signals from moving averages. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as spot gold reached two-month highs above $4,430/oz following cooling CPI data. While oscillators show bearish signals with RSI at overbought levels, institutional interest remains strong with Deane Retirement Strategies increasing its stake by 36.5% in the latest quarter.
Outlook remains positive as gold gains support from inflation dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and central bank buying. Key risks include potential Fed policy shifts and dollar strength. The 0.25% expense ratio makes IAU attractive for conservative investors seeking gold exposure with lower volatility compared to mining stocks.
VTI trades at $381.83, up 0.05% with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong institutional inflows. The ETF's 0.03% expense ratio and over 3,500 holdings provide broad U.S. equity exposure. Recent dividend of $1.04 was declared for June 2026.
Outlook remains positive due to low-cost diversification and steady institutional demand. Risks include market volatility and concentration in large-cap tech. Long-term growth potential is supported by historical performance but requires monitoring of economic conditions.
Trailing returns across standard periods
IAU is a physically backed ETF that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold. It provides a convenient and liquid way for investors to include gold in their portfolios as a potential hedge.
Read more on IAU →The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the index, which represents approximately 100% of the investable US stock market and includes large-, mid-, small-, and micro-cap stocks. It invests by sampling the index, meaning that it holds a broadly diversified collection of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full index in terms of key characteristics.
Read more on VTI →