# SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Facts & Distributions

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- Issuer: SPDR · Asset class: Commodities
- Strategy: Passive Index · Inception: 2004-11-18

The SPDR Gold Trust aims to mirror the market price movements of physical gold bullion, after deducting its operational expenses. This pioneering fund was the first gold exchange-traded fund (ETF) to be introduced in the U.S., and also the initial U.S.-listed ETF to be backed by a tangible asset. For a significant number of investors, the combined expenses of purchasing GLD shares on the secondary market and covering the Trust's continuous fees could be lower than the expenditures associated with directly acquiring, safeguarding, and insuring physical gold within a conventional allocated bu...

## Key Facts

| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $373.51 |
| Expense Ratio | 0.40% |
| Assets Under Management | $134.60B |
| NAV | $368.78 |
| Holdings Count | 0 |
| Distribution Yield (TTM) | — |
| Annual Distribution (TTM) | — /share |
| Distribution Frequency | — |
| 52-Week Range | $361.36 – $509.70 |
| Beta | 0.45 |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does GLD invest in?

The SPDR Gold Trust aims to mirror the market price movements of physical gold bullion, after deducting its operational expenses. This pioneering fund was the first gold exchange-traded fund (ETF) to be introduced in the U.S., and also the initial U.S.-listed ETF to be backed by a tangible asset. For a significant number of investors, the combined expenses of purchasing GLD shares on the secondary market and covering the Trust's continuous fees could be lower than the expenditures associated with directly acquiring, safeguarding, and insuring physical gold within a conventional allocated bullion account.

### What is the expense ratio of GLD?

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) charges an expense ratio of 0.40%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations.

### How big is GLD?

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) manages $134.60B in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation.

### Is GLD actively managed or an index fund?

GLD is a passive index fund. It tracks a published benchmark by holding the constituents in their published weights. Index funds typically charge low expense ratios (GLD's is 0.40%) because there's no security selection cost.

### When was GLD launched?

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) launched in November 2004 and is managed by SPDR.

### How has GLD performed?

GLD's total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon.

### Does GLD pay a dividend?

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is —. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab.

### How often does GLD pay dividends?

SPDR Gold Shares pays dividends on its published schedule. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the dividend history table on this page.

### What is GLD's dividend yield?

GLD's trailing-twelve-month yield is —, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price.

### When is GLD's next ex-dividend date?

GLD hasn't announced its next ex-date yet. Once declared it'll appear at the top of the dividend history table on this page.

### How much will GLD's expense ratio cost me over 30 years?

On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.40% expense ratio quietly compounds against your balance every year. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above projects the dollar drag for any holding period and assumption you pick. The typical result for a 1.0% expense ratio on a 30-year hold is roughly 25% of the final balance lost to fees.

### How does GLD charge its expense ratio?

The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from GLD's net asset value (NAV). You never see a bill. The price quoted on every exchange is already net of fees. There's no "fee day" to avoid; the cost is continuous and built into the trading price.

### Why does GLD cost more than a fund like VOO?

GLD is a passive index fund (current expense ratio 0.40%). Differences from broad-market ETFs like VOO usually come from index licensing fees, asset class (bond funds typically run cheaper than equity), or fund scale (smaller funds spread fixed operating costs across less AUM).

### Are there cheaper alternatives to GLD?

The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as GLD (0.40%) but at a lower expense ratio. Each row shows the fee gap, the peer's AUM as a liquidity sanity-check, and a direct link to that fund's analysis page. Cheaper price doesn't automatically mean better. Verify the peer holds what you actually want.

## More on Dividend Data

- Overview (HTML): https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/gld
- Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/gld/dividend
- Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/gld/diversification
- Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/gld/expenses
- Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/gld/peers

Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.