iShares Gold Trust

IAU has an annual expense ratio of 0.25%. This fee is deducted from the fund's assets each year and directly reduces your net return over time.

IAU is managed by IShares, and its portfolio is overseen by Shannon Ghia. The provider is the firm responsible for the fund, while the portfolio manager makes the day-to-day decisions about which assets the fund holds.

Unlike ETFs, IAU is not traded on a stock exchange in real time. Its price, called the NAV (Net Asset Value), is calculated once per day after the market closes, based on the total value of the fund's holdings divided by the number of outstanding shares. This means all buy and sell orders placed during the day are executed at the same end-of-day price.

Investors in the Gulf can access US-registered mutual funds like IAU through international brokerage platforms that offer access to US markets. You will typically need a valid government ID or passport to open an account. Many platforms also allow funding via local bank transfers or local payment methods.

Many investors in the Gulf hold USD-denominated mutual funds like IAU for global diversification, not as a currency hedge. Because Gulf currencies are pegged to the US dollar, a USD-priced fund adds little currency risk either way — its value can still rise or fall with the fund's own holdings. The reason to hold it is access to global markets and professional diversification beyond the local economy.