iShares Gold Trust
IAU
New York Stock Exchange Arca- -
USD
- -
- -
Capital Structure
FRC
•
in mil. unless spec.Working Capital
FRC
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in mil. unless spec.Growth Rates
FRC
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in mil. unless spec.Quarterly Revenue
FRC
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in mil. unless spec.Quarterly Earnings Per Share
FRC
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in mil. unless spec.Quarterly Dividends Per Share
FRC
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in mil. unless spec.- CEO
- Shannon Ghia
- Sector
- Financial Services
- Industry
- Asset Management
- Address
- 50 Hudson Yards New York NY United States of America 10001
- IPO Date
- Jan 28, 2005
- CIK
- 0001278680
- Website
- ishares.com
- Similar Companies
- Business
- iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is an exchange-traded product sponsored by iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, an affiliate of BlackRock, Inc., that holds physical gold bullion to reflect generally the performance of the price of gold, as measured by the LBMA Gold Price, prior to payment of the Trust's expenses and liabilities. The Trust issues shares representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in its net assets, which consist primarily of allocated physical gold bars held by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London branch, as custodian; shares trade on NYSE Arca and are created or redeemed only in large blocks called Baskets (typically 40,000 shares, equivalent to approximately 942 ounces of gold as of September 2025) by authorized participants in exchange for gold deposits or withdrawals. The Trust offers investors convenient exposure to physical gold without the logistical challenges of direct ownership, such as assaying, transportation, storage, and insurance; it is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or as a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act, resulting in lighter regulatory oversight compared to traditional ETFs or mutual funds. The sponsor fee accrues at an annualized rate of 0.25% of the Trust's net asset value, with gold sold periodically to cover this and any unassumed expenses (such as taxes or excess legal fees beyond $500,000 annually), gradually reducing the ounces of gold per share over time. The Trust operates in the commodities sector, specifically precious metals, targeting retail and institutional investors seeking portfolio diversification, inflation protection, or a hedge against geopolitical and economic uncertainty; its shares provide a cost-efficient alternative to physical gold bullion, with lower handling costs dispersed across all shareholders. Gold holdings are valued daily using the LBMA Gold Price PM (or AM if unavailable), with net asset value computed by the trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, after 4:00 p.m. New York time on NYSE Arca trading days. As of September 30, 2025, the Trust held 15,466,658.79 ounces (481.07 tonnes) of gold, with net assets of $59.15 billion and 820.65 million shares outstanding. Geographic operations center on gold storage primarily in London vaults, with liquidity tied to global over-the-counter and futures markets including COMEX and the London Bullion Market; the sponsor maintains principal offices in San Francisco, California, while the trustee administers from New York and the custodian from London. The Trust was formed on January 21, 2005, upon an initial gold deposit in exchange for the first Baskets of shares. In recent years, the Trust has experienced substantial inflows amid surging gold prices driven by central bank purchases (254 tonnes acquired globally through October 2025), geopolitical tensions, and inflation concerns, boosting assets under management to approximately $62.28 billion by late 2025 with year-to-date returns exceeding 46%. Strong fund flows totaled $10.70 billion over the prior year, reflecting heightened investor demand for gold exposure; performance highlights include 26.28% NAV return in 2024 and annualized 10.86% since inception through September 2025, outperforming broader commodity benchmarks in volatile markets. No major acquisitions, partnerships, new product launches, or structural changes (such as name alterations or reorganizations) have been reported for the Trust in the last 1-2 years, with operations remaining focused on passive gold tracking amid stable sponsorship by BlackRock entities.