Top Gold ETFs for 2023

For investors looking to hedge their bets on the unpredictable economy, gold exchange-traded funds can be a more manageable and cheaper way to invest in the commodity.

Gold prices are currently hovering around an all-time high and certain ETFs may be able to help investors capitalize on the hot market.

Some 10 gold-focused ETFs trade in the U.S., excluding leveraged and inverse funds as well as those with less than $50 million in assets under management (AUM). They invest directly in either gold bullion or gold futures contracts as opposed to companies that mine for the metal.

Below, we look at three gold ETFs with the lowest fees, the best 12-month return, and the most liquidity. We have excluded leveraged ETFs, which provide outsized returns but come with extra risk. All data below are as of June 14.

Gold ETF with the Lowest Fess: iShares Gold Trust Micro ETF (IAUM)

• Performance Over One Year: 7.51%
• Expense Ratio: 0.09%
• Annual Dividend Yield: N/A
• 30-Day Average Daily Volume: 494,889
• Assets Under Management: $993.4 million
• Inception Date: June 15, 2021
• Issuer: BlackRock Financial Management

Unlike many other gold exchange-traded products, IAUM is structured as a true ETF. It trades on the NYSE Arca and also uses the LBMA Gold Price as a benchmark. IAUM can be utilized as a way to diversify a portfolio of securities and to protect against inflation. The sole holding of IAUM is gold bullion.

Gold ETF with the Best 1-Year Return: Invesco DB Precious Metals Fund (DBP)

• Performance Over One Year: 7.54%
• Expense Ratio: 0.77%
• Annual Dividend Yield: 0.43%
• Three-Month Average Daily Volume: 27,844
• Assets Under Management: $181.1 million
• Inception Date: Jan. 5, 2007
• Issuer: Invesco

Invesco DB Precious Metals Fund tracks the DBIQ Optimum Yield Precious Metals Index. This fund is geared towards investors who want to invest in commodities futures. 80% of the funds holding comprises gold futures; the other 20% is silver futures.

Most Liquid Gold ETF: SPDR Gold Trust (GLD)

• Performance Over One Year: 7.16%
• Expense Ratio: 0.40%
• Annual Dividend Yield: N/A
• Three-Month Average Daily Volume: 8,654,929
• Assets Under Management: $58.5 billion
• Inception Date: Nov. 18, 2004
• Issuer: World Gold Trust Services

SPDR Gold Trust tracks the LBMA Gold Price as a benchmark. The goal of this fund is to reflect the price of gold bullion. It is the most popular and oldest gold ETF trading on the U.S. market.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes online. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above ETFs.