What was Gold ETF (GLD)'s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2016?

Gold ETF (GLD)'s CAGR from 2016 to September 2026 was 13.0% per year. For comparison, the S&P 500 has historically averaged around 10% annually. Gold ETF (GLD) significantly outperformed traditional equity markets on an annualized basis.

How does Gold ETF (GLD) compare to the S&P 500 since 2016?

The same $1,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2016 would be worth approximately $4,503.50 today. Gold ETF (GLD) underperformed the S&P 500 by $786.03.

How much of the Gold ETF (GLD) gain would you keep after taxes?

Sold today, the $2,717.47 gain would be a long-term capital gain for US federal tax. At the 15% rate most people pay, you'd keep about $3,309.85. At the top rate of 23.8% (20% plus the 3.8% net investment income tax) you'd keep about $3,070.71, and lower incomes pay 0%. State tax is extra, and gains inside a Roth IRA aren't taxed.

What is the inflation-adjusted return on $1,000 in Gold ETF (GLD) since 2016?

Adjusted for cumulative US inflation since 2016, the real purchasing-power value of the Gold ETF (GLD) position is approximately $2,736.78 in 2016 dollars. Inflation shrinks the gain, but the investment still grew faster than prices.

How did Gold ETF (GLD) perform in 2016?

Gold ETF (GLD) rose 7.4% during 2016, from $102.89 at the start of the year to $110.47 at the start of 2017.

What If You Invested $1,000 in Gold ETF (GLD) in 2016?

Q: Did Gold ETF (GLD) pay dividends?

No. Gold ETF (GLD) paid no dividends over this period, so the whole return came from its share price.

Try your own numbers

If I had putintoat the start of…

it would be worth today

$3,717

+$2,717 profit3.72x13.0% a year

The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $4,503

Includes the fund’s 0.4% yearly fee, roughly $77.72 over this time.

Aftertax on the gain, you’d keep$3,310

US federal long-term rates: 15% for most people, 0% on lower incomes, 20% + 3.8% on high incomes. No state tax included; none inside a Roth IRA.

Compare with

Growth Over Time

Performance Metrics

Total Invested

$1,000.00

Current Value

$3,717.47

Total Profit

$2,717.47

Multiplier

3.72x

CAGR

13.0%

Max Drawdown

-23.8%

Inflation-Adjusted

$2,736.78

Benchmark Comparison

How does $1,000.00 invested in 2016 compare across different asset classes?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Gold ETF (GLD)	$3,717.47	3.72x
S&P 500	$4,503.50	4.50x
Gold	$3,955.93	3.96x
Savings (2% APY)	$1,237.13	1.24x

Dividends

Gold ETF (GLD) paid no dividends over this period, so the whole return came from its share price.

Dividends from Yahoo Finance. Shares today assume every dividend was reinvested.

Gold ETF (GLD) charges a yearly fee of 0.4%. It’s already taken out of the fund’s price, so the results above include it; at today’s rate it came to roughly $77.72 on this investment. Source

Back in 2016

In 2016, a gallon of gas averaged $2.14, a movie ticket averaged $8.65 and the new iPhone 7 started at $649. eia.gov apple.com deadline.com
During 2016 itself, Gold ETF (GLD) rose 7.4%, #62 of the 85 investments we track. The best was Ethereum (+778%); the worst was Palo Alto Networks (−26%). Full 2016 results →

$1,000 in Gold ETF (GLD), year by year

Of the 85 investments we track that were available at the start of 2016, Gold ETF (GLD) ranks #51 by growth to today — just behind UnitedHealth and ahead of Schwab Dividend ETF (SCHD). See the full 2016 ranking →

Gold ETF (GLD) started 2016 37% below its start-of-2013 high, after falling 9.8% in 2015. It has been worth more than the $1,000 put in at every January since, and still is today. Its best January was 2026, at $3,871. Today it's 4% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 8 of the 10 full years since. It has trailed the same $1,000 in the S&P 500 at every January since, and still does. Month by month, the deepest fall ran from Feb 2026 ($4,701) to Jun 2026 ($3,580), a drop of 24%.

When	Worth	Change	S&P 500
Start of 2016	$1,000	—	$1,000
Start of 2017	$1,074	+7.4%	$1,120
Start of 2018	$1,216	+13%	$1,364
Start of 2019	$1,179	−3.1%	$1,304
Start of 2020	$1,399	+19%	$1,715
Start of 2021	$1,772	+27%	$2,030
Start of 2022	$1,636	−7.7%	$2,613
Start of 2023	$1,663	+1.6%	$2,140
Start of 2024	$1,854	+11%	$2,702
Start of 2025	$2,385	+29%	$3,379
Start of 2026	$3,871	+62%	$3,983
Today	$3,717	−4.0%	$4,503

Values at the start of each year (first trading day for stocks). The S&P 500 column includes reinvested dividends, like the stock values.

Historical Context

At the start of 2016, Gold ETF (GLD) was priced at $102.89 (adjusted for later splits and dividends). $1,000 would have bought about 9.72 shares. GLD holds physical gold bullion.

Measured from one January to the next, Gold ETF (GLD)'s best year since then was 2025 (+62%) and its worst was 2021 (−7.7%).

Frequently Asked Questions

A $1,000 investment in Gold ETF (GLD) at the start of 2016 would be worth approximately $3,717.47 today — a 3.72x return ($2,717.47 profit) over 10.7 years.

Methodology & Sources

Price data: Historical prices are the closing price on the first trading day of each year, adjusted for splits and dividends (so returns assume dividends were reinvested), from Yahoo Finance and MacroTrends. Current prices come from Yahoo Finance and refresh hourly; if that source is unavailable, the last saved price is used.

Calculation: Assumes a single purchase at the start of 2016 (or the first trading day, for companies that listed that year), held until today. No transaction fees, taxes, or slippage are included.

Benchmarks: The S&P 500 comparison uses the S&P 500 Total Return index (dividends reinvested, like an index fund) at the start of2016 and today. Gold uses the price per troy ounce. Savings account assumes a 2% APY compounded annually.

Inflation adjustment: Uses U.S. CPI-U annual averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2026 CPI value is estimated.

Educational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.