Gold IRA Blueprint | Gold vs Stocks

Gold vs Stock Market Comparison

Compare historical performance and see when gold outperformed stocks

Select Time Period to Compare

Gold IRA Blueprint

Gold vs S&P 500 • 10 Years

Generated April 27, 2026

Normalized Performance

Start = 100

Gold
S&P 500

Key Takeaways

  • Gold led this period, returning +280.6% vs +220.6% for stocks.
  • Gold cushioned the worst year better: 2021 (-4.3%) vs stocks 2022 (-19.4%).
  • Gold outperformed in 6/10 years (60%).

Why Diversify with Gold?

  • Gold has both monetary value and industrial demand (solar, EVs, electronics), providing dual growth drivers.
  • Physical gold is not correlated with traditional paper assets like stocks and bonds.
  • Gold offers a lower entry point than gold while maintaining precious metals portfolio benefits.

Did You Know?

Gold demand from solar panels and electric vehicles continues to grow exponentially.
Gold IRAs allow tax-advantaged retirement savings backed by physical precious metals.
Unlike stocks, gold has no counterparty risk—it cannot go bankrupt or default.
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Diversification Tip

Many financial advisors suggest allocating 5-15% of your portfolio to precious metals as a hedge against inflation and market volatility. A Gold IRA allows you to hold physical gold in a tax-advantaged retirement account.

Sources: LBMA Gold Price, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Federal Reserve Economic Data

Gold IRA Blueprint

Performance Comparison

Updated Never

Normalized to 100 at start of period

Limited Time Offer

Ready to Protect Your Retirement with Gold?

Join thousands of investors who have diversified their portfolios with precious metals. Get a free gold IRA kit with no obligation.

Get Your Free Gold IRA Kit

Ideal for investors with $100k+ in retirement accounts

Performance Breakdown

Total Returns

Starting with $10,000

Gold

+280.6%

$38,063

S&P 500

+220.6%

$32,058

Gold Won!

Gold vs Stocks

Gold beat stocks in 6 of 10 years

Gold: 60%Stocks: 40%

Best Year

Gold Peak

2025

+64.7%

S&P 500 Peak

2019

+28.9%

Worst Year

Gold Low

2021

-4.3%

S&P 500 Low

2022

-19.4%

Market Prices

As of 2026-03

Gold (XAG/USD)

$4,697.00-11.01%

S&P 500

6,604-3.20%

Monthly data • Updates with chart

Key Insights from This Period

  • Gold provided better returns during this period, gaining 280.6% compared to stocks' 220.6%.
  • Gold showed moderate volatility, balancing stability with growth potential.
  • During the worst years, gold provided better protection, limiting losses to -4.3% vs stocks' -19.4%.
  • Gold beat stocks in 6 out of 10 years, showing consistent relative strength.
  • Both assets ended positive, with gold taking the lead.

When Did Gold Shine?

1980 Hunt Brothers Peak

Gold hit $49.45/oz as the Hunt Brothers attempted to corner the gold market

2011 Near $50

Gold reached $49.82/oz amid QE programs and inflation fears - highest since 1980

2020-2021 Reddit Squeeze

Gold surged past $28/oz as WallStreetBets retail investors targeted the metal

2024 Industrial Boom

Gold broke $5,278.00/oz on solar panel and EV battery demand

Normalized to 100: This chart sets both investments to start at 100% for easy comparison. This way you can see relative performance regardless of actual dollar amounts.

Line Direction: A line going up means that investment gained value. A line going down means it lost value.

Comparing Lines: When gold's line is above stocks, gold performed better during that period. The further apart the lines, the bigger the performance difference.

⚠️ Important: Historical performance doesn't guarantee future results. Past trends show what happened, not what will happen.

💡 Diversification Tip: Most financial advisors recommend holding 5-15% of your portfolio in precious metals for diversification. Gold often moves differently than stocks, providing balance during market volatility and protecting against inflation.

See How Gold Could Protect Your Retirement

Gold outperformed stocks by 60.0% during this period. Learn how to add gold to your retirement portfolio with a Gold IRA.

Most helpful for investors with $100k+ in IRA, 401k or retirement accounts

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Data sources: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), S&P Dow Jones Indices, LBMA Gold Price

Gold prices based on London Gold Fix. S&P 500 includes dividends reinvested.