Rapid growth in the ETF market means investors have plenty of ways they can capitalise on surging precious metal values. Here are three to consider today.

Keeping it simple

The simplest way to ride the gold price is with a straightforward tracker like WisdomTree Physical Gold (LSE:PHAU). The fund holds physical metal in vaults on investors’ behalf, saving them the trouble of delivery and storage.

Interest in these sorts of ETFs is at all-time highs. According to the World Gold Council (WGC), holdings in these funds increased by 146 tonnes in September. This was up from 53 tonnes the previous month and represented a monthly record.

Naturally, owners of these products need to pay for the benefits they provide. This can take an unwelcome bite out of returns (WisdomTree’s annual ongoing charge sits at 0.39%).

Yet they can still be more cost effective than buying and holding physical metal, while opening and closing positions is also less complicated.

An alternative ETF

Gold might be attracting the headlines, but silver’s ascent in 2025 has been even sharper. The grey metal’s up 69% in value, outstripping its more expensive cousin’s 54% increase.

Silver’s being pulled higher by the same macroeconomic and geopolitical fears that are driving gold. As well as having major industrial applications, silver is also a popular safe-haven commodity. There’s a strong chance it could continue rising in gold’s slipstream.

The iShares Physical Silver ETF (LSE:SSLN) is one top fund to consider. It tracks movements in the silver price, and is backed by physical metal. Its ongoing yearly charge is 0.2%.

This ETF has provided superior returns to gold-backed funds since 1 January. But be aware that silver’s industrial applications mean the fund could underperform if key economic indicators worsen.

Holding gold stocks

The final type of ETF I feel demands attention is one that holds shares in precious metal stocks. VanEck Gold Miners (LSE:GDGB) is a fund that’s soared 120% in value in 2025, reflecting the ‘leverage’ effect that has seen it outperform the gold price.

Put simply, producer profits can grow more sharply than revenues during bull markets. Due to their fixed costs, each extra dollar they make from higher prices drops straight into the bottom line. As a result, share prices across the gold mining industry have rocketed this year.

This VanEck fund holds shares in 46 different companies including industry giants Agnico Eagle Mines, Newmont, and Barrick Mining. Tracking the performance of gold stocks instead of gold itself exposes investors to the risks associated to mining, like disappointing payloads and rocketing prices.

However, VanEck’s broad portfolio helps to reduce this danger. The ongoing annual charge here is 0.53%.

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But this doesn’t mean share pickers should retreat, in my opinion. Indeed, here are two top UK shares to consider even in the current uncertain climate.

Brand hero

Consumer staples producers like Unilever (LSE:ULVR) often outperform the broader stock market during bearish periods. Foods, and personal care and household goods products tend to remain broadly stable over time, providing these companies with good earnings visibility that supports their share prices.

That’s not all. In the case of this FTSE 100 share, it enjoys exceptional brand power through labels like Dove soap and shower gel, Magnum ice cream, and Persil detergent. This supports consumer demand even during economic downturns, and even allows the firm scope to raise prices to grow earnings even when consumers feel the pinch.

Indeed, latest financials showed underlying sales up 3.4% between January and June despite tough broader conditions. Volumes and sales were up 1.5% and 1.9% in the same 2024 period.

With its successful advertising campaigns and strong record of innovation, Unilever has proved a robust stock to own over time. Be mindful, though, that its marketing costs aren’t small and sometimes prove a significant challenge to earnings growth.

On balance, I think the Footsie company’s a top stock to consider in uncertain times like these.

Gold star

As mentioned at the top, gold demand is rising as investors seek out classic defensive assets. One that I think is worth serious attention right now is the VanEck Gold Miners (LSE:GDGB) exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Gold prices are surging right now, and earlier today struck new peaks near $3,450 per ounce. The yellow metal is now up 42% in the year to date, and is tipped for further gains as inflationary and growth pressures rise.

Funds like this VanEck one track the gold price, as their profits are naturally linked closely to metal prices. However, they can also rise in value more sharply than the precious metal. This is thanks to the ‘leverage’ effect, where — thanks to their relatively fixed costs — each extra dollar of revenue drops straight into the bottom line, meaning profits can grow more sharply.

Remember, though, that this phenomenon works in both directions, so earnings falls can be more pronounced if gold prices drop.

I like the VanEck Gold Miners fund because of the way it allocates capital. A focus on large-cap miners like Newmont, Agnico Eagle Mines, and Wheaton Precious Metals can provide stability not afforded by ETFs that concentrate on junior miners.

Furthermore, it holds shares in 62 different companies. This broad footprint provides decent protection for investors in the event of one or two miners experiencing operational issues.

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By holding a basket of assets, ETFs carry lower risk than investing in individual securities. These diversified instruments can also be highly cost-effective, with lower expense ratios and fewer fees compared to mutual funds. And like stocks, they can be bought and sold throughout the trading day.

Here’s one I think’s worth serious consideration next month.

Gold bulls in charge

Gold prices are heading through the roof. They’ve just touched new record peaks above $2,500 per ounce, and may have much further to run as central banks cut rates, the US dollar weakens, and conflicts threaten to widen in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Recent data underlines how sharply demand for gold-backed assets is accelerating. According to the World Gold Council (WGC), global gold ETFs enjoyed their strongest month since April 2022 in July, attracting $3.7bn of inflows.

Meanwhile, bullion demand among central banks is also still hotting up. Banks purchased more than 1,000 tonnes in both 2022 and 2023, and according to a WGC survey, almost 30% plan to keep building their holdings.

Against this backcloth, analysts at Citi think the expensive metal will rise as high as $3,000 over the next year or so. This may not be a surprise to you. Gold’s already almost doubled in value since August 2014.

A top ETF

In this climate, I think opening a position in the Van Eck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (LSE:GDGB) could be a great idea for me in September. The fund — which tracks the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index — has one of the lowest expense ratios of its type, at just 0.53%.

If the gold price continues to rise, the ETF will likely follow suit as mining sector profits boom. In fact, it could provide superior returns if the companies it holds put in strong operational performances.

The opposite might also happen if miners experience trouble such as disappointing payloads or increased costs. However, around 65% of the total fund’s allocated to established miners with stable cash flows, which helps soothe any concerns I’d otherwise have.

We’re talking about industry giants such as Newmont Mining, Wheaton Precious Metals, and Barrick Gold.

Dividend drawback

One thing to remember is that the fund doesn’t pay out a dividend. Instead, any income it generates would be automatically reinvested back into the ETF.

This may put some investors off. But it wouldn’t be enough to discourage me from buying. As a way of balancing risk and reward, I still think it could be a better way to get gold exposure than by buying shares in one or two dividend-paying miners.

If I have cash to invest soon, I’ll be looking to add the fund to my own ISA.

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