What was Gold ETF (GLD)'s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2025?

Gold ETF (GLD)'s CAGR from 2025 to September 2026 was 29.0% 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 2025?

The same $1,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2025 would be worth approximately $1,332.93 today. Gold ETF (GLD) outperformed the index by $225.58 — 1.17x the return of the S&P 500.

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

Sold today, the $558.51 gain would be a long-term capital gain for US federal tax. At the 15% rate most people pay, you'd keep about $1,474.74. At the top rate of 23.8% (20% plus the 3.8% net investment income tax) you'd keep about $1,425.59, 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 2025?

Adjusted for cumulative US inflation since 2025, the real purchasing-power value of the Gold ETF (GLD) position is approximately $1,529.83 in 2025 dollars. Inflation shrinks the gain, but the investment still grew faster than prices.

How did Gold ETF (GLD) perform in 2025?

Gold ETF (GLD) rose 62% during 2025, from $245.42 at the start of the year to $398.28 at the start of 2026.

What If You Invested $1,000 in Gold ETF (GLD) in 2025?

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

$1,559

+$558.51 profit1.56x29.0% a year

The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $1,333

Includes the fund’s 0.4% yearly fee, roughly $9.96 over this time.

Aftertax on the gain, you’d keep$1,475

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

$1,558.51

Total Profit

$558.51

Multiplier

1.56x

CAGR

29.0%

Max Drawdown

-23.8%

Inflation-Adjusted

$1,529.83

Benchmark Comparison

How does $1,000.00 invested in 2025 compare across different asset classes?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Gold ETF (GLD)	$1,558.51	1.56x
S&P 500	$1,332.93	1.33x
Gold	$1,601.07	1.60x
Savings (2% APY)	$1,035.13	1.04x

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 $9.96 on this investment. Source

Back in 2025

In 2025, a gallon of gas averaged $3.10 and the new iPhone 17 Pro started at $1,099. eia.gov apple.com
During 2025 itself, Gold ETF (GLD) rose 62%, #12 of the 114 investments we track. The best was Robinhood (+192%); the worst was Polkadot (−73%). Full 2025 results →

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

Of the 114 investments we track that were available at the start of 2025, Gold ETF (GLD) ranks #28 by growth to today — just behind ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and ahead of AbbVie. See the full 2025 ranking →

Gold ETF (GLD) started 2025 at its highest start-of-year price up to then, after rising 29% in 2024. 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 $1,623. Today it's 4% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It has been ahead of the same $1,000 in the S&P 500 at every January since, and still is. Month by month, the deepest fall ran from Feb 2026 ($1,971) to Jun 2026 ($1,501), a drop of 24%.

When	Worth	Change	S&P 500
Start of 2025	$1,000	—	$1,000
Start of 2026	$1,623	+62%	$1,179
Today	$1,559	−4.0%	$1,333

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 2025, Gold ETF (GLD) was priced at $245.42 (adjusted for later splits and dividends). $1,000 would have bought about 4.07 shares. GLD holds physical gold bullion.

Frequently Asked Questions

A $1,000 investment in Gold ETF (GLD) at the start of 2025 would be worth approximately $1,558.51 today — a 1.56x return ($558.51 profit) over 1.7 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 2025 (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 of2025 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.