Is a gold ETF backed by gold?
Gold ETFs are typically structured as trusts. These funds hold a certain number of gold bars for each share of the ETF issued. Buying a share of the ETF means owning a part of the gold held by the trust. Because these ETFs hold physical gold, their prices move with the price of gold over the short and long term.
Symbol Symbol | ETF Name ETF Name | # of Holdings # of Holdings |
---|---|---|
SGOL | abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 1 |
BAR | GraniteShares Gold Trust | 1 |
OUNZ | VanEck Merk Gold Trust | 1 |
AAAU | Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | 1 |
Gold ETFs are like buying the metal as 24-carat gold units. Gold ETFs are safe and secure and you do not have to worry about theft. With Gold ETFs, the purity of gold is guaranteed. There are no making charges you spend as you are not buying physical gold.
FUND (TICKER) | EXPENSE RATIO | TOTAL ASSETS |
---|---|---|
SPDR Gold MiniShares (GLDM) | 0.10% | $6.4 billion |
iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) | 0.09% | 991.2 million |
Abrdn Physical Gold Shares (SGOL) | 0.17% | $2.7 billion |
GranteShares Gold Trust (BAR) | 0.175% | $929 million |
The SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) tracks the price of gold bullion in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. 1 The trust that is the sponsor of the fund holds physical gold bullion as well as some cash.
Disadvantages of investing in gold ETFs
Physical gold provides a higher level of security than Gold ETFs, as it eliminates counterparty risk. Gold ETFs may not perform as well as physical gold during times of economic uncertainty or geopolitical instability.
However, these companies can also shrink or fail, resulting in losses. That said, gold mining ETFs are typically well-diversified, but there's still risk involved if companies in the ETF fail to meet their objectives.
Physical Gold: Physical gold is less susceptible to market fluctuations and is often viewed as a stable store of value, especially in times of economic uncertainty. Gold ETFs: While ETFs provide convenient market exposure, they are subject to stock market volatility, fund management risks, and tracking errors.
Gold ETFs allow you to invest in gold without paying extra fees like exit loads and expense ratios. On the other hand, gold funds allow you to invest through SIPs for even Rs. 500 per month. Investors can invest in gold funds if they want to make regular investments for a long period of time.
No Storage Hassles: Owning physical gold comes with storage and security concerns. Gold ETFs eliminate these worries as investors do not need to store the metal physically. Instead, units of gold ETF are held in a demat account, eliminating the fear of theft.
Should I have gold ETF in my portfolio?
Gold is better as a short to medium-term investment, as long-term returns on the yellow metal are often as low as 10 percent per annum. Do not make too heavy or long-term investments in gold. Allotting 5 percent to 10 percent of your investment portfolio to gold ETFs is a wise idea.
Gold soared after gold ETFs were introduced two decades ago. Standard Chartered, the global bank, views this as relevant history for bitcoin ETFs. Gold's price more than quadrupled in the seven years following their 2004 introduction in the U.S.
Ability to buy in small units: Nippon India ETF Gold BeES unit is approximately equal to 0.01 gram of gold which can be directly bought through the trading terminals. No securities transaction tax for trading Nippon India ETF Gold BeES.
The most important difference between physical ownership and investing in an ETF is the actual ownership of the gold. With physical gold, you own the precious metal in the form of coins, bars, or bullion. With a physical gold ETF, you own a share of a fund that holds physical gold, but you do not own the gold directly.
You can expose jewelry to water only (no soaps or other hygiene products) without worrying about the water negatively affecting the precious metals, including real gold jewelry, platinum jewelry, and stainless steel jewelry. Avoid wearing diamond jewelry in any water.
So you'll need to invest in the precious metal differently than you would with those assets. Most experts recommend limiting your gold investment to 10% or less of your overall portfolio.
There are several potential risks to investing in gold, including: Price volatility: The price of gold can be volatile, and it may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.
In January, gold-backed ETFs experienced net outflows of $2.8 billion. It was the eighth consecutive month of outflows, largely due to heavy redemptions in North America, according to the World Gold Council (WGC).
Gold is historically a safe and stable investment that can protect you in times of economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Its price holds up well during times of high inflation and high interest rates, and sees increased demand and price appreciation during traditional equity bear markets rather than bull markets.
Some of the risks associated with investing in gold ETFs are similar to the risks of investing in gold in general: Gold ETFs can experience price fluctuations due to market conditions. Gold can be a volatile short-term investment.
What happens if ETF collapses?
Shutdown risk
There are a lot of ETFs out there that are very popular, and there are a lot that are unloved. Over the last 5 years, an average of 110 ETFs closed per year (Source: Bloomberg). An ETF shutting down is not the end of the world. The fund is liquidated and shareholders are paid in cash.
Risks: Gold ETFs are subject to market risks impacting the price of gold. Gold ETFs are subject to SEBI Mutual Funds Regulations. Regular audit of the physical gold bought by fund houses by a statutory auditor is mandatory.
If you want an investment that provides an income stream, stocks are likely the better choice. Note: You might be able to earn dividends from gold stocks or gold ETFs, but these are riskier than investing in physical gold like bars and coins.
Safe Haven from Counterparty and Other Risks
Physical gold, as a tangible asset, is also safe from cyberattacks and hacking risks that paper gold might have, especially if that paper is held electronically. So Buy gold it's safer. Also, physical gold is much easier to liquidate.
Ticker | ETF Name | 1-year return |
---|---|---|
IAUM | iShares Gold Trust Micro ETF of Benef Interest | 11.17% |
OUNZ | VanEck Merk Gold Trust | 11.07% |
AAAU | Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | 11.06% |
IAUF | iShares Gold Strategy ETF | 10.47% |
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