What was Gold ETF (GLD)'s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2021?

Gold ETF (GLD)'s CAGR from 2021 to September 2026 was 13.8% 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 2021?

The same $1,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2021 would be worth approximately $2,218.04 today. Gold ETF (GLD) underperformed the S&P 500 by $120.25.

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

Sold today, the $1,097.79 gain would be a long-term capital gain for US federal tax. At the 15% rate most people pay, you'd keep about $1,933.12. At the top rate of 23.8% (20% plus the 3.8% net investment income tax) you'd keep about $1,836.52, 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 2021?

Adjusted for cumulative US inflation since 2021, the real purchasing-power value of the Gold ETF (GLD) position is approximately $1,743.22 in 2021 dollars. Inflation shrinks the gain, but the investment still grew faster than prices.

How did Gold ETF (GLD) perform in 2021?

Gold ETF (GLD) fell 7.7% during 2021, from $182.33 at the start of the year to $168.33 at the start of 2022.

What If You Invested $1,000 in Gold ETF (GLD) in 2021?

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

$2,098

+$1,098 profit2.10x13.8% a year

The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $2,218

Includes the fund’s 0.4% yearly fee, roughly $29.73 over this time.

Aftertax on the gain, you’d keep$1,933

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

$2,097.79

Total Profit

$1,097.79

Multiplier

2.10x

CAGR

13.8%

Max Drawdown

-23.8%

Inflation-Adjusted

$1,743.22

Benchmark Comparison

How does $1,000.00 invested in 2021 compare across different asset classes?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Gold ETF (GLD)	$2,097.79	2.10x
S&P 500	$2,218.04	2.22x
Gold	$2,213.49	2.21x
Savings (2% APY)	$1,120.46	1.12x

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 $29.73 on this investment. Source

Back in 2021

In 2021, a gallon of gas averaged $3.01 and the new iPhone 13 Pro started at $999. eia.gov apple.com
During 2021 itself, Gold ETF (GLD) fell 7.7%, #99 of the 111 investments we track. The best was Solana (+11,084%); the worst was Zoom (−49%). Full 2021 results →

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

Of the 111 investments we track that were available at the start of 2021, Gold ETF (GLD) ranks #51 by growth to today — just behind Bank of America and ahead of General Motors. See the full 2021 ranking →

Gold ETF (GLD) started 2021 at its highest start-of-year price up to then, after rising 27% in 2020. It was worth less than the $1,000 put in at the start of 2022 and 2023, and has been above it since the start of 2024. Its best January was 2026, at $2,184. Today it's 4% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 4 of the 5 full years since. It was ahead of the same $1,000 in the S&P 500 at the start of 2026 but has fallen behind it since. Month by month, the deepest fall ran from Feb 2026 ($2,653) to Jun 2026 ($2,020), a drop of 24%. At its lowest month-end, in Oct 2022, it was worth $832.99.

When	Worth	Change	S&P 500
Start of 2021	$1,000	—	$1,000
Start of 2022	$923	−7.7%	$1,287
Start of 2023	$938	+1.6%	$1,054
Start of 2024	$1,046	+11%	$1,331
Start of 2025	$1,346	+29%	$1,664
Start of 2026	$2,184	+62%	$1,962
Today	$2,098	−4.0%	$2,218

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 2021, Gold ETF (GLD) was priced at $182.33 (adjusted for later splits and dividends). $1,000 would have bought about 5.48 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 2021 would be worth approximately $2,097.79 today — a 2.10x return ($1,097.79 profit) over 5.7 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 2021 (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 of2021 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.