Gold-backed exchange-traded funds are experiencing unprecedented demand, highlighted by the SPDR Gold Shares ETF recording its second-highest trading volume ever on Thursday, Oct. 9th.
The fund saw an astonishing $12.5 billion in volume, a level not witnessed since 2013, indicating a massive surge in investor interest in the yellow metal.
Check out GLD’s ETF details here.
GLD Outpaces Mag 7’s Trading Volume
This single ETF’s trading activity even outstripped the daily volume of most of the vaunted “Magnificent 7” tech stocks, underscoring a significant rotation of capital in the financial markets.
This monumental volume spike comes as gold prices themselves have been on a historic tear, with the yellow metal soaring by nearly 57% over the past year.
Having recently surpassed the $4,000 per ounce threshold, gold is currently approaching the significant $4,200 mark, establishing a new all-time high of $4,179.71.
The robust performance of gold and silver is dramatically outperforming traditional equities, with silver, for instance, up an astonishing 68% in 2025 and trading above $50/oz for the first time since 1980.
Central Banks Load Up On Both Gold And Silver
The Kobeissi Letter attributes this escalating demand to a broader “global currency crisis.” For the first time in over five decades, central banks are actively accumulating silver, with the Saudi Central Bank notably purchasing $28.5 million worth of it in August.
This institutional shift is mirrored by a significant trend among foreign investors, who now hold more gold than U.S. Treasuries. The share of U.S. Treasuries held by foreign entities has plummeted from 49% in 2013 to a mere 31% today, signifying a fundamental re-evaluation of global safe havens.
This pivot towards physical assets suggests a profound shift in investment strategy amidst rising geopolitical and economic uncertainties, positioning gold as the preeminent global safe haven in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Price Action
Gold prices were 0.05% lower at $4,108.05 per ounce as of the publication of this article. It has gained 54.89% over the year and 28.02% over the last six months.
Here are a few Gold ETFs along with GLD that investors could consider.
| Gold ETFs | YTD Performance | One Year Performance |
| Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (NYSE:FGDL) | 55.00% | 55.26% |
| Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (BATS:AAAU) | 54.32% | 54.61% |
| GraniteShares Gold Trust (NYSE:BAR) | 54.38% | 54.74% |
| VanEck Merk Gold ETF (NYSE:OUNZ) | 54.11% | 54.53% |
| SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:GLD) | 54.06% | 54.28% |
| iShares Gold Trust (NYSE:IAU) | 54.27% | 54.55% |
| SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (NYSE:GLDM) | 54.41% | 54.77% |
| abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (NYSE:SGOL) | 54.31% | 54.68% |
| iShares Gold Trust Micro (NYSE:IAUM) | 54.49% | 54.84% |
| Invesco DB Precious Metals Fund (NYSE:DBP) | 54.45% | 47.84% |
On Monday, the S&P 500 index ended 1.56% higher at 6,654.72, whereas the Nasdaq 100 index advanced 2.18% to 24,750.25. Dow Jones also gained 1.29% to 46,067.58.
The futures of the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq 100 indices were trading lower on Tuesday.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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