2025 has been a remarkable year for bullion, with gold emerging as one of the top-performing major asset classes and hitting over 50 all-time highs as of Dec. 4, according to the World Gold Council. Gold prices have soared nearly 60% since January, repeatedly breaking historical records and now standing firmly above the $4,000-per-ounce mark.
This exceptional rally, driven by a powerful confluence of geopolitical and economic forces, has drawn sustained investor interest toward the yellow metal. As the year comes to a close, the focus naturally shifts to Gold Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), which allow investors to gain exposure to this flourishing commodity without the risk and hassle of owning physical bars.
With bullion’s performance capturing headlines, Gold ETFs have moved from a niche diversifier to a central tool for investors navigating today’s uncertain markets.
Before suggesting a few top-performing gold ETFs for your watchlist, let us delve into what led to gold’s rally this year and its prospects, so investors can make informed decisions.
Gold’s extraordinary ascent this year, despite some intra-year volatility, has been primarily fueled by its safe-haven appeal amid a landscape of profound global uncertainty.
Key growth drivers for the yellow metal include:
• Geopolitical Instability: Escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, coupled with U.S. trade policy uncertainties, raised the metal’s risk premium, pushing investors toward its perceived safety. To this end, an analysis from the Gold Return Attribution Model (“GRAM”) indicated that the high-risk environment accounted for roughly 12 percentage points of gold’s year-to-date return, primarily driven by geopolitical risk.
• Central Bank Buying: A structural and perhaps most significant shift has been the relentless buying by global central banks. Institutions have been purchasing gold at a record pace for three consecutive years, with net purchases forecasted to reach around 900 tons in 2025 alone (as predicted by JP Morgan in June 2025).
• Macroeconomic Factors: The U.S. Federal Reserve’s consecutive rate cuts this year, alongside a broader trend of dollar underperformance, have been favorable for non-yielding assets like gold, providing a solid boost to the bullion. Growing fears of a looming economic recession have also increased interest in gold as a hedge against uncertainty.
• Western Investor Return & Momentum: After several years of ETF outflows, Western investment demand for gold decisively returned this year, with inflows into gold ETFs strengthening month over month (as per a November 2025 report by VanEck). This resurgence in investment demand, coupled with powerful price momentum, created a self-reinforcing cycle that contributed significantly to the rally.
The outlook for gold in 2026 remains broadly bullish, though the rate of ascent may have moderated over the past few days with global rate expectations shifting toward tighter paths next year. Analysts at major institutions continue to see a structural bull case.
J.P. Morgan projects prices could reach $5,200-$5,300 per ounce, citing strong and sustained demand as a key driver. Goldman Sachs forecasts gold at around $4,900 per ounce by the end of next year, supported by continued central bank buying.
On the other hand, Morgan Stanley anticipates prices closer to $4,500, although it warns of near-term volatility.
Considering the aforementioned discussion, including the bullish outlook for the yellow metal next year, keeping the following gold ETFs on your watchlist (and investing if you see fit) remains a compelling strategy to maintain portfolio stability and capture potential upside as we head into 2026.
SPDR Gold Shares GLD
It is the first U.S.-traded gold ETF with approximately $141.3 billion in Assets Under Management (“AUM”). It traded at a volume of 9.06 million shares in the last trading session.
GLD has surged 60.7% year to date. The fund charges 40 basis points (bps) as fees.
iShares Gold Trust IAU
This fund has $65.7 billion in net assets. It traded at a volume of 8.61 million shares the last trading session.
IAU has soared 60.9% year to date. The fund charges 25 bps as fees.
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF SGOL
This fund has $7.1 billion in AUM. It traded at a volume of 6.25 million shares the last trading session.
SGOL has soared 61% year to date. The fund charges 17 bps as fees.
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SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Research Reports
iShares Gold Trust (IAU): ETF Research Reports
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL): ETF Research Reports
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).