What is the largest gold ETF in the U.S.?

SPDR Gold Shares is the largest gold ETF by assets under management (AUM). At around $146 billion (as of early June 2026), it had more than twice the AUM of the second-largest gold ETF, iShares Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: IAU) ($67.9 billion).

Which gold ETF has the lowest expense ratio?

As of early June 2026, the iShares Gold Trust Micro ETF (NYSEMKT: IAUM) had the lowest expense ratio at 0.09%.

Do gold ETFs pay dividends?

Gold ETFs that invest in gold mining companies typically pay dividends. Many gold mining companies pay dividends, which these funds collect and distribute to investors. However, gold ETFs that hold physical gold don't pay dividends because holding gold doesn't generate any income.

Which gold investment is the safest?

Owning a gold ETF backed by physical bars in a bank vault is the safest gold investment. There's less risk of that gold getting stolen compared to physical gold or gold jewelry you personally own and store in a safe at your house. These ETFs are also safer than those that own gold mining stocks, which can underperform gold prices.

What are the fees associated with gold ETFs?

Gold ETFs charge investors a management fee, known as the expense ratio.

Is a gold ETF worth buying now?

A gold ETF could be worth buying now if you want exposure to the gold market. While gold prices have been very volatile over the past year due to inflationary and geopolitical concerns, the price of gold could continue to rise if inflation reaccelerates or the war with Iran reignites. Buying a gold ETF could be a good way to hedge your portfolio against those risks.

What is the best ETF for gold?

The SPDR Gold Trust is the best ETF for gold. It's the largest and most liquid gold ETF. While other gold ETFs have lower fees, many investors view SPDR Gold Trust as the gold standard among gold ETFs.

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Key Points

SPDR Gold Trust, with a reasonable 0.4% expense ratio, offers direct exposure to gold by holding bullion in secure bank vaults.
iShares Gold Trust, with a 0.25% expense ratio, is a lower-cost option for gold exposure.
VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF focuses on major gold mining stocks and has over $26 billion in AUM.

Gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are funds that invest in physical gold or gold mining stocks. They are one of many ways to invest in gold. Gold ETFs are an easy way to gain instant exposure to the gold market, making them ideal for anyone seeking to invest in gold.

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Four gold bars on a gold-colored background. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Ticker Information Table
Company name	Company ticker	Current price
SPDR Gold Shares	NYSEMKT:GLD	$411.27
iShares Gold Trust	NYSEMKT:IAU	$84.28
Abrdn Gold ETF Trust - Abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF	NYSEMKT:SGOL	$42.66
Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF	NYSEMKT:AAAU	$44.18
VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Gold Miners ETF	NYSEMKT:GDX	$86.40
VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF	NYSEMKT:GDXJ	$111.90
Franklin Templeton Trust - Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF	NYSEMKT:FGDL	$59.63

Data as of Jun 4, 2026. Showing 7 of 7 total entries.

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NYSEMKT: GLD

SPDR Gold Shares

Today's Change

(0.83%) $3.40

Current Price

$411.27

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$409.01 - $414.37

52wk Range

$299.89 - $509.70

Volume

4.6M

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NYSEMKT: IAU

iShares Gold Trust

Today's Change

(0.83%) $0.69

Current Price

$84.28

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$83.83 - $84.92

52wk Range

$61.37 - $104.40

Volume

3.1M

Avg Vol

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iShares Gold Trust (IAU +0.83%) is almost identical to SPDR Gold Shares, making it another great way to invest directly in gold. It boasts a lower expense ratio than its larger rival (0.25%), making it an even lower-cost way to gain upside exposure to gold. It's also large (over $68 billion in AUM as of early May 2026) and highly liquid.

Owning shares in this ETF is a great proxy for owning physical gold without the hassle and expense of storing or insuring bars and coins. The ETF handles these items, storing its bullion in the London branch of JPMorgan Chase (nearly 15.4 million ounces as of June 2026). Overall, this gold ETF has done an excellent job of tracking gold's price, with only minor underperformance due to its expense ratio.

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3. VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF

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NYSEMKT: GDX

VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Gold Miners ETF

Today's Change

(1.65%) $1.40

Current Price

$86.40

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$85.63 - $87.47

52wk Range

$50.32 - $117.17

Volume

13.4M

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NYSEMKT: GDXJ

VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF

Today's Change

(0.92%) $1.02

Current Price

$111.90

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$110.87 - $113.81

52wk Range

$63.90 - $157.49

Volume

3.2M

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VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ +0.92%) offers the greatest upside potential because it focuses on smaller mining companies, known as junior gold miners, many of which are still exploration-stage companies. These smaller miners could expand production faster and deliver higher returns than their larger rivals.

However, the higher reward potential comes with more risk because they lack the scale and financial resources of their larger rivals. A misstep, such as cost overruns in a mine development, could be more costly for investors.

VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF is reasonably large (over $8.4 billion in AUM as of early June 2026) and has a relatively low expense ratio (0.52%). The gold ETF has 121 holdings. Its five largest are:

Coeur Mining (CDE +1.82%) at 7.1% of its net assets
Alamos Gold (AGI +2.14%) at 6.5%
Endeavour Mining (OTCMKTS:EDVMF) at 6.2%
Evolution Mining (OTCMKTS:CAHPF) at 6.1%
Equinox Gold (EQX +2.50%) at 5.9%

These mining companies are smaller than those held by VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF. The largest holding on the list has a market cap of about $19.2 billion (Coeur Mining). The ETF's top 10 holdings make up almost 45% of its assets. The fund provides investors with broad exposure to several up-and-coming gold and silver mining stocks.

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5. Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF

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NYSEMKT: FGDL

Franklin Templeton Trust - Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF

Today's Change

(1.06%) $0.63

Current Price

$59.63

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$59.39 - $60.04

52wk Range

$43.41 - $74.24

Volume

24.1K

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The Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL +1.06%) holds physical gold. It only holds gold sourced from accredited refiners that demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and to combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and human rights abuses. This responsibly sourced gold ETF has a low expense ratio of 0.15% and nearly $459 million in AUM as of June 2026. It held 103,188 ounces of gold in JPMorgan Chase Bank vaults in London.

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6. Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF

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NYSEMKT: AAAU

Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF

Today's Change

(0.87%) $0.38

Current Price

$44.18

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$43.94 - $44.50

52wk Range

$32.15 - $54.71

Volume

Avg Vol

2.2M

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The Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU +0.87%) is another ETF that holds physical gold. Like iShares Gold Trust, this fund holds gold bullion in the London branch of JPMorgan Chase. It has a lower ETF expense ratio than its larger rivals at 0.18% and nearly $2.7 billion in AUM in June 2026.

7. abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF

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NYSEMKT: SGOL

Abrdn Gold ETF Trust - Abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF

Today's Change

(0.85%) $0.36

Current Price

$42.66

Key Data Points

Day's Range

$42.43 - $42.97

52wk Range

$31.05 - $52.84

Volume

1.3M

Avg Vol

3.7M

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Gold ETF FAQ

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About the Author

Matt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock analyst specializing in the energy, industrials, and real estate sectors since 2012. He also covers dividend-paying stocks, pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.

TMFmd19

@MatthewDiLallo

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Matt DiLallo has positions in JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

7 Best Gold ETFs for 2026 and How to Invest

A closer look at some of the top gold ETFs.

Key Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

3. VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

5. Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF

Key Data Points

6. Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF

Key Data Points

7. abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF

Key Data Points

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What is the largest gold ETF in the U.S.?

Which gold ETF has the lowest expense ratio?

Do gold ETFs pay dividends?

Which gold investment is the safest?

What are the fees associated with gold ETFs?

Is a gold ETF worth buying now?

What is the best ETF for gold?

1. SPDR Gold Trust

3. VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF

5. Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF

6. Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF

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Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

2. iShares Gold Trust

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4. VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF