EX-4.4




 Exhibit 4.4 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED 

UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 

The following is a summary of the rights of the SPDR® Gold Shares (the “Shares”) of SPDR® Gold Trust (the “Trust”), which is the only class of securities of the Trust that is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 

GENERAL 
 BNY Mellon Asst Servicing, a division of The
Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trustee”) is authorized under the Trust Indenture (the “Trust Indenture”) dated November 12, 2004, as amended from time to time, between World Gold Trust Services, LLC (the “Sponsor”)
and the Trustee to create and issue an unlimited number of Shares. The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust and have no par value. Any creation and issuance of Shares above the amount
registered on the registration statement will require the registration of such additional Shares. 
 DESCRIPTION OF LIMITED RIGHTS 

The Shares do not represent a traditional investment and Shareholders should not view them as similar to “shares” of a corporation operating a
business enterprise with management and a board of directors. Shareholders do not have the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of shares of a corporation, including, for example, the right to bring “oppression” or
“derivative” actions. All Shares are of the same class with equal rights and privileges. Each Share is transferable, is fully paid and non-assessable and entitles the holder to vote on the limited
matters upon which Shareholders may vote under the Trust Indenture. The Shares do not entitle their holders to any conversion or pre-emptive rights, or, except as provided below, any redemption rights or
rights to distributions. 
 DISTRIBUTIONS 
 The Trust
Indenture provides for distributions to Shareholders in only two circumstances. First, if the Trustee and the Sponsor determine that the Trust’s cash account balance exceeds the anticipated expenses of the Trust for the next 12 months and the
excess amount is more than $0.01 per Share outstanding, they shall direct the excess amount to be distributed to the Shareholders. Second, if the Trust is terminated and liquidated, the Trustee will distribute to the Shareholders any amounts
remaining after the satisfaction of all outstanding liabilities of the Trust and the establishment of such reserves for applicable taxes, other governmental charges and contingent or future liabilities as the Trustee shall determine. Shareholders of
record on the record date fixed by the Trustee for a distribution will be entitled to receive their pro rata portion of any distribution. 
 VOTING AND
APPROVALS 
 Under the Trust Indenture, Shareholders have no voting rights, except in the following limited circumstances: (i) shareholders holding
at least 662/3% of the Shares outstanding may vote to remove the Trustee; (ii) the Trustee may terminate the Trust upon the agreement of Shareholders owning at least 662/3% of the outstanding Shares; and (iii) certain amendments to the
Trust Indenture require 51% or unanimous consent of the Shareholders. 
 BOOK ENTRY FORM 

Individual certificates will not be issued for the Shares. Instead, global certificates are deposited by the Trustee with DTC and registered in the name of
Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. The global certificates evidence all of the Shares outstanding at any time. Under the Trust Indenture, Shareholders are limited to: (1) DTC Participants; (2) those who maintain, either directly or
indirectly, a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, or Indirect Participants; and (3) those banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and others who hold interests in the Shares through DTC Participants or Indirect Participants. The
Shares are only transferable through the book-entry system of DTC. Shareholders who are not DTC Participants may transfer their Shares through DTC by instructing the DTC Participant holding their Shares (or by instructing the Indirect Participant or
other entity through which their Shares are held) to transfer the Shares. Transfers are made in accordance with standard securities industry practice.