Canadian Dollar vs Gold since 2001
7% × 1,449%
Updated July 2026 · BLS / FRED · daily closing prices (not exportable)
Since 2001, Canadian Dollar is up 7% against the dollar and Gold is 1,449% in dollars. Gold held up better. Held as cash, Canadian Dollar earns no interest, so that line is the exchange rate, not a return.
Base 100 since 2001
Why compare Canadian Dollar and Gold (XAU/USD)
This duel tends to attract anyone weighing protection linked to natural resources: the Canadian dollar is an oil currency, and gold is the world's oldest store of value. Both can rise in a commodity-inflation backdrop, but by different routes. The loonie is an exchange rate held as cash it earns no interest, so its line is only the move against the dollar, often reading like a chart of crude. Gold is a real asset that can genuinely appreciate, though it pays no interest either. The durable pattern is well worn: gold tends to shine in crises and outlast currencies over decades, while the loonie oscillates with the oil cycle and risk appetite. The honest note bears repeating the currency does not yield, it moves; gold is the one that can return.
Returns by window
| Window | Canadian Dollar | Gold (XAU/USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | -2% | 25% |
| 5 years | -11% | 127% |
| 10 years | -7% | 205% |
| since 2001 | 7% | 1,449% |
The price of return: risk
| Asset | Annual volatility | Worst drop |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Dollar | 8% | -34% |
| Gold | 17% | -42% |
$10,000 in each, since 2001
| Asset | Value today |
|---|---|
| Canadian Dollar | $10,651 |
| Gold | $154,944 |
Frequently asked questions
Canadian Dollar or Gold: which held up better?
Since 2001, Gold is ahead in dollar terms. But a currency held as cash earns no interest, so its figure is the move against the U.S. dollar, not a return.
Is a currency line a return?
No. Holding cash in any currency earns no interest by itself, so the line is only the exchange-rate move against the dollar. A real asset (gold, an index) carries a return — that contrast is the point of this page.
Does the bigger move mean the better holding?
Not on its own — yield and risk matter, and this is not investment advice. The page shows the dollar move and the largest drop; for cash, also weigh the interest you could earn elsewhere.
Keep exploring
Descriptive, educational content computed from official public data. Not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.