Using a gold exchange-traded fund (ETF) or gold exchange-traded commodity (ETC) is a cheap and efficient way to own physical gold without having to manage, store or insure it yourself.
There are loads of gold-based ETFs to choose from. They can be a pure vehicle for owning gold or cover a host of different companies within the industry; which can include gold mining and exploration companies.
Gold ETFs and ETCs are pretty good for beginners looking to invest in gold or those who want plenty of diversification. It’important to check whether it’s an investment that purchases physical gold or if it’s one that invests in a basket of gold-related stocks. If you want to make sure you’re just investing in the underlying gold, it might be better to use a gold ETC.
If you want to check out some of the largest (by fund size) and most popular top-performing gold ETFs and ETCs in the UK, take a look at the options below:
| Gold ETF | Icon | 1-year performance (to Feb. '26) | 5-year performance (to Feb. '26) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN) |  |
59.55% | 177.07% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Invesco Physical Gold ETC (SGLD) |  |
64.92% | 158.86% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| WisdomTree Physical Gold (PHGP) |  |
49.51% | 155.36% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Gold Bullion Securities ETC (GBSS) | |
50.00% | 156.24% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) |  |
136.51% | 195.86% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Royal Mint Responsibly Sourced Physical Gold ETC GBP (RMAP) |  |
49.91% | 157.81% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Amundi Physical Gold ETC C (GLDA) |  |
49.89% | 159.19% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| WisdomTree Physical Swiss Gold GBP (SGBX) | |
59.29% | 175.34% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| WisdomTree Core Physical Gold USD ETC (WGLD) | |
64.99% | 159.04% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
By investing in gold miners through gold mining stocks, you can get indirect access to gold ownership and production, but you’re not just reliant on the price of gold. The potential success of your investment also comes down to the company’s performance. This has upsides and downsides.
This type of investment has some unique advantages because the share price of gold mining stocks isn’t based on the price of gold alone. So it is possible that investments can outpace the spot price of gold, and these companies can generate dividend income.
Here are some of the world’s largest gold producers to consider if you’re thinking about investing in gold mining stocks:
| Gold stock | Icon | 1-year performance (to Feb. '26) | 5-year performance (to Feb. '26) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newmont Goldcorp Corp (NEM) |  |
161.71% | 95.72% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM) |  |
101.16% | 178.77% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Greatland Resources Limited (GGP) |  |
288.83% | 19.75% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Fresnillo PLC (FRES) |  |
416.98% | 266.80% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Gold.com (GOLD) |  |
83.70% | 201.00% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
| Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC) |  |
175.81% | 352.44% | Invest Invest Invest Capital at risk |
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
For some, part of the appeal of investing in gold is being able to hold it. Good news: If you’re one of those people, buying solid gold has never been easier.
Before you buy and invest in physical gold, you should make sure of the following:
The platforms below can be used to trade gold stocks and gold ETFs/ETCs.
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
How we picked theseTo make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, features, ease and range of investments across 30+ platforms are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the platform – simple.
Read the full methodology
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