Cryptocurrency ASX ETFs out of favour

In fact, the best-performing ETF from 2025, the Digital Bitcoin ETF (ASX: BTXX), was the worst performer for 2026, swinging from a 95.5% return to a 48.4% fall.

The Van Eck Bitcoin ETF (ASX: VBTC) also performed poorly, swinging from a 76.5% return in 2025 – putting it in third place overall – to a 48% fall in 2026, placing it 384^th out of 387 ETFs in 2026.

Video gaming ETFs also performed poorly in 2026 after a strong 2025, while gold ETFs, which took out five of the top 10 places in the 2025 ETF rankings, held up well.

InvestSMART said:

Gold miners were the standouts. The Betashares Global Gold Miners ETF (ASX: MNRS) returned 49.0%, while the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX) gained 42.3%. They were the only ETFs from last year's top 10 to remain among the top 25 performers. The three gold bullion ETFs also remained in positive territory, returning about 15%, although all slipped outside the top 100.

AI the name of the game for ASX ETFs performance last financial year

When it comes to the 2026 results, AI and technology ETFs shone, along with critical minerals.

InvestSMART said:

Two words capture the clearest theme among many of the top performers: artificial intelligence. Much of that strength came through semiconductor exposure. Chips form the foundation of AI, and South Korea and Taiwan are among Asia's leaders in the industry. South Korea is a global leader in AI memory chips, led by Samsung and SK Hynix, while Taiwan is home to TSMC, whose second-quarter revenue rose 33.7% year on year to US$40.2 billion. This goes a long way to explaining why the top two performers – iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (ASX: IKO) and Global X Semiconductor ETF (ASX: SEMI) – notched up extraordinary annual returns of 170.8% and 160.8%, respectively.

The Global X Hydrogen ETF (ASX: HGEN) was the third-best performer, followed by Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) and Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF (ASX: XMET).  

Rounding out the top 10 were the Global X S&P Biotech ETF (ASX: CURE), Global X Green Metal Miners ETF (ASX: GMTL), Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC), iShares Asia 50 ETF (ASX: IAA), and VanEck MSCI International Value ETF (ASX: HVLU).

The most popular ETF in 2026 was the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) with $3.8 billion in funds inflows.

The post What were the best and worst-performing ASX ETFs in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Now the mood has changed sharply.

At the time of writing, the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX) is down more than 33% over six months, while the Betashares Global Gold Miners ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: MNRS) has fallen more than 36%.

Zoom out, however, and the picture is different. GDX ETF remains up more than 100% over two years, while MNRS ETF has gained more than 96%.

So, after a spectacular rise and painful reversal, could these gold miners ETFs shine again?

From market leaders to major laggards

Both ETFs provide exposure to many of the world's largest gold businesses, including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Barrick Mining Corp (NYSE: B).

Their strong two-year returns reflect how powerful the previous gold cycle became.

At certain points during 2025, MNRS ETF had gained 149%, while GDX ETF had risen 139%, making them the two strongest-performing ASX-listed ETFs for the period. Gold delivered its best annual performance since 1979.

The price of gold benefited from central bank buying, tariff concerns, geopolitical tensions, expanding US debt, and fears around currency debasement.

Australian investors piled into the theme with ETFs recording billions of inflows during 2025 and at the beginning of this year.

For gold miners, rising bullion prices can be especially powerful. Revenue increases with gold, while many operating costs remain relatively fixed. That can produce rapid margin expansion and outsized gains.

Unfortunately, that leverage cuts both ways.

Why has the shine faded?

The first issue may simply be that expectations ran too far.

After triple-digit gains, gold miners were no longer overlooked. When sentiment cooled, investors had substantial profits to protect, leaving the sector vulnerable to a sharp reversal.

Capital has also found new homes.

Artificial intelligence remains a dominant market theme, but attention has broadened beyond software and mega-cap technology companies. Semiconductors, data centre infrastructure, electricity, and copper have attracted investors looking for the bottlenecks behind the AI buildout.

South Korean equities performed strongly through semiconductor exposure, while copper and energy transition metals benefited from data centre demand, constrained supply, and electrification.

Gold miners must compete with those themes for investor attention.

What could drive another rally?

Gold miners could recover if the gold price begins another sustained advance.

Renewed geopolitical stress, continued central bank demand, lower real interest rates, a weaker US dollar, or further concerns about government debt could restore interest in the metal as a safe-haven asset.

Company fundamentals will matter too. Gold miners need to convert elevated bullion prices into stronger cash flow while controlling labour, energy, and development costs.

These ETFs do not offer pure exposure to gold. They own operating businesses exposed to management decisions, mine performance, inflation, political risk, and capital allocation.

Foolish takeaway

The recent falls in GDX ETF and MNRS ETF show why thematic ETFs can be difficult to time.

Both funds have delivered outstanding two-year gains, but investors who arrived near the peak have endured a brutal six months.

Gold miners may shine again. However, the next leg higher will probably require more than gold merely holding its value. The sector may need a fresh bullion rally, improving margins, and renewed investor appetite before its former market leadership returns.

The post Can these ASX ETFs recover after a brutal gold sell-off? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Supported by a surging gold price, persistent geopolitical uncertainty, and strong investor demand for safe-haven assets, many of the sector's biggest names climbed to record or multi-year highs. 

More recently, however, a pullback in the gold price and a wave of profit-taking have seen many ASX-listed gold miners retreat from their peaks, prompting investors to weigh up whether this is simply a healthy correction or the start of a more prolonged downturn.

A new report from VanEck suggests the long-term outlook remains positive despite the recent pullback. 

Sentiment switches

Imaru Casanova, Portfolio Manager, Gold and Precious Metals, VanEck said gold has pulled back roughly 25% from January highs. 

At the end of June, the apparent end of the conflict in the Middle East further eroded gold's safe-haven appeal, as markets shifted toward a risk-on environment and equity markets traded near recent highs. 

Gold is now trading around US$4,000 per ounce, representing an approximately 25% pullback from its January highs. However, gold stocks remain the best-performing asset class over the past year, and gold continues to outperform most other major asset classes.

There's still gold in these hills

However, the long-term case remains supported by inflation, central bank buying and lower real rates.

Gold stocks have historically outperformed the metal itself in rising gold price environments. 

However, investors may not need to wait for the next leg higher in gold to begin increasing exposure. 

At current prices, these companies are already generating record cash flow, as Q1 2026 earnings made abundantly clear. Gold has traded at an average price of approximately US$4,700 per ounce so far in 2026. With all-in sustaining costs for the sector estimated to average below US$2,000 per ounce in 2026, margins remain very strong even at US$4,000 gold.

According to the report, this gives companies the ability to finance growth, pay dividends and repurchase shares. 

Gold stocks continue to trade at valuations that remain low relative to historical levels, while the sector appears to be in strong financial and operational health by historical standards. 

Current equity prices appear to reflect more conservative assumptions than those implied by prevailing gold prices.

If investors rotate capital away from sectors with much richer valuations, particularly against a backdrop of rising risk of a pullback, gold stocks could be beneficiaries.

How to gain exposure to gold shares

There are many individual ASX gold shares for investors to consider. 

Some of the most popular include: 

• Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) – One of the largest gold mining companies in the world 
• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) – Large mining company with projects in Australia and the United States

Another option is to target gold shares using an ASX ETF. 

For example, VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX) includes over 105 companies involved in the gold mining industry. 

Or, the VanEck Gold Bullion ETF (ASX: NUGG) provides exposure to the price of physical Australian gold bullion rather than to gold mining companies.

The post Why gold shares remain a strong long-term option despite recent pullback: Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

On Tuesday, GDX ETF is trading at $96.56 per unit, down 3.4%.

On 27 July, GDX will pay an extraordinarily high annual distribution of $17.99 per unit.

That's the biggest distribution GDX has paid since inception in 2015.

For comparison, the FY25 distribution was 63 cents per unit.

When the distribution was announced, GDX was trading at $114.80, which meant the payment equated to a 15.6% dividend yield.

The unit price has now fallen by the approximate size of the dividend, as expected, since going ex-dividend on 2 July.

This total return is very impressive, but one expert reckons it's time to sell this ASX ETF.

Why expert says sell this ASX ETF

On The Bull this week, Remo Greco from Sanlam Private Wealth explained his sell rating on GDX ETF.

A soaring gold price in the past few years has contributed to the strong performance of GDX.

The ETF has risen from $59.36 on January 6, 2025 to trade at $94.89 on July 2, 2026.

We are bearish about the outlook for gold in response to a stronger US dollar and potentially rising interest rates.

Even at weaker levels, we can't justify the gold price.

We would be inclined to take a profit in GDX at these levels.

Gold price bull run

The gold price has soared since early 2024, but the pace of growth was slower over FY26 at 18%.

The gold price bull run came about due to the freezing of Russia's foreign-currency reserves after the Ukraine invasion in 2022.

This prompted central banks worldwide to diversify their reserves away from the US and into the safe-haven metal.

Concern over new US policies and US debt levels, along with geopolitical uncertainty, then started to weigh on the US currency.

This further encouraged central banks, and then investors, to buy gold.

Large inflows into gold ETFs, especially in 1H FY26, sent the gold price to a record US$5,608 per ounce before a 21% dive in January.

Despite the correction to about US$4,405 per ounce, experts said gold miners were still going to make heaps of money.

And did they ever. That's one reason why GDX is paying a massive dividend this season.

The gold price fell further over 2H FY26, and is US$4,126 per ounce today.

More about GDX ETF

GDX ETF seeks to mirror the performance of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (AUD) Index.

ASX GDX invests in 105 gold mining shares, with 44% in Canada, 24% in the US, 9% in Australia, and 6% in Brazil.

The ASX gold shares in the GDX portfolio include Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN), Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU), Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD), Greatland Resources Ltd (ASX: GGP), Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM), and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS).

GDX ETF has total net assets of $1.3 billion.

The post Up 80% in 2 years with a 15% dividend yield, expert says sell this ASX ETF now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are six ASX ETFs that will pay dividends worth 10% or more of their current unit prices.   

Yep, that's a 10%-plus dividend yield in a single payment –not annually! 

Monster dividend payers this season 

VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX) 

This ASX ETF will pay a distribution of $17.99 per unit this season. 

ASX GDX is $111.44 per unit today, which means the next dividend represents a 16% yield.

Read more about why the GDX ETF dividend is so big here. 

VanEck MSCI International Value ETF (ASX: VLUE)

This ASX ETF will pay $6.65 per unit. 

ASX VLUE is $43.75 per unit on Tuesday, which means the next dividend represents a 15% yield.

VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF (ASX: ESPO)

This ASX ETF will pay $1.93 per unit. 

ASX ESPO is $15.76 per unit today, so that's a 12% dividend yield.

VanEck MSCI Multifactor Emerging Markets Equity ETF (ASX: EMKT)

This ASX ETF will pay $4.64 per unit. 

ASX EMKT is $41.36 per unit today, which means the next dividend represents an 11% yield.

VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT) 

This ASX ETF will pay $2.68 per unit.

GOAT ETF is $27.72 per unit at the time of writing.

That means the next distribution represents a 10% yield.

The ex-dividend date for VanEck ETFs is tomorrow, 1 July.

Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC)

This ASX ETF will pay $16.27 per unit. 

ASX ACDC is $158.50 per unit today, which means the next dividend represents a 10% yield.

The ex-dividend date for Global X ETFs is Friday, 3 July.

What's turbocharging ETF dividends this season?

ASX ETFs holding international shares are paying out sensational distributions mainly due to the US markets hitting new record highs this year.

Some of the biggest payers are also actively managed ETFs.

Active managers can buy and sell stocks whenever they like, whereas index-tracking ETFs only trade when the indexes change (usually every quarter). 

So, active managers have more agency to realise strong capital gains at a time of their choosing.

Another significant factor is currency hedging. 

The US dollar has weakened while the AUD has strengthened over the past 18 months. This has turbocharged distributions for some currency-hedged ETFs.  

The AUD/USD reached a 4-year high above 74 cents in May. You can read more about the impact of currency hedging here.  

A fourth factor is supercharged miners' earnings due to surging commodity prices, particularly gold and lithium.  

Own other ETFs?

If you own Vanguard ETFs, see this season's distributions here.

Interested in other VanEck ETFs? View dividends here.

If you own Betashares ETFs, see distributions here.

If you're invested in iShares ETFs, see dividends here.

Invested in other Global X ETFs? Find out your next distribution here.

The post 6 ASX ETFs offering 10%-plus dividend yields in a single payout appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Among them is VanEck, which has announced an estimated $17.99 per unit distribution for VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX).

GDX ETF is trading at $114.80 per unit, up 2.3%, on Monday.

This means this next estimated distribution represents a whopping 15% dividend yield in a single payout.

VanEck will confirm the final amount tomorrow.

But whatever it is, it will be the biggest distribution this ASX ETF has ever paid since its inception in 2015.

For comparison, the FY25 distribution was 63 cents per unit.

Investors who own or buy GDX ETF before it goes ex-dividend on Wednesday will be entitled to the payment.

Why is this dividend so enormous?

ASX ETF providers call their payments 'distributions' rather than 'dividends' because they comprise several components.

The components include dividend income from the companies the ETF is invested in, and capital gains from the sale of stocks.

So why is this next one from GDX ETF so big?

For starters, ASX GDX pays distributions once per year, so this next payment represents earnings over a 12-month period.

But that's only a minor reason. The primary driver is the runaway gold price, which has enabled miners to earn a motza.

Gold price bull run

The gold price has soared over several years now. In CY25, the gold price leapt a staggering 65% — its best year since 1979.

Even more amazing is that it followed an already impressive growth rate of 27% in CY24.

The bulk of this growth is down to central banks around the world buying gold to diversify their reserves away from the US dollar.

The catalyst was the freezing of Russia's foreign-currency reserves after the Ukraine invasion in 2022.

On top of that was concern over new US policies under President Donald Trump since his inauguration in early 2025.

New tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty weighed on the US currency, and nations increasingly perceived the US as a less reliable defence partner.

All of this drove central banks to move increasingly away from US bonds. Gold — long considered a safe haven — was the best alternative.

Additionally, post-COVID inflation began to settle, interest rates fell globally, and the appeal of risk-free investments like cash fell.

Institutional investors and professional traders caught on over time, then we retail investors followed.

Large inflows into gold ETFs, especially in 1H FY26, sent the gold price to a record US$5,608 per ounce before a 21% crash in January.

Despite the correction in price to about US$4,405 per tonne, experts said gold miners were still going to make a tonne of money.

Warwick Grigor, an analyst at mining investment specialists Far East Capital, said implied profitability for gold producers was between US$3,000 and US$4,000 per ounce with the gold price at that level.

The gold price weakened further over 2H FY26 to trade at US$4,059.69 per tonne today.

On Grigor's calculations, that still meant plenty of margin for miners, and it's likely a big reason for GDX ETF's mega distribution.

Mega capital gains as ASX ETFs and gold mining shares soar

While the gold price was ascending rapidly in CY24 and CY25, international and ASX 200 gold mining shares skyrocketed.

In Australia, the ASX 200's largest gold mining share, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), ripped 73% higher in CY25 alone.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares soared 164% while Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) shares rocketed 152%.

The Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) share price ascended 196% and Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares ripped 194%.

Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) shares tripled in value, while Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) more than doubled.

International gold shares may have done even better, and GDX ETF holds mining shares from all over the world.

This is likely another reason why GDX is paying out big-time this season: realised capital gains accumulated over several years.

More about GDX ETF

The GDX ETF seeks to track the performance of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (AUD) Index.

ASX GDX invests in 105 gold mining shares, with 44% in Canada, 24% in the US, 9% in Australia, and 6% in Brazil.

The index only invests in miners with a market cap above US$750 million and an average daily traded value of at least US$1 million.

The free float market cap-weighted index applies a capping scheme to individual shares to ensure diversification.

GDX's ETF has total net assets of $1.3 billion.

VanEck charges investors a 0.53% management fee.

View a list of other VanEck ETF distributions this season, as well as a list of Vanguard ETF dividends here.

The post Which ASX ETF will pay an eye-popping $18 per share dividend this season? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The ex-dividend date for the distributions listed below is next Wednesday, 1 July. The record date is 2 July.

The indicative payment date for most of these ETFs is 27 July.

There are some absolute whopper dividends available for investors who own or buy these ASX ETFs before their ex-dividend dates.

Let's take a look.

How does a 14% to 16% dividend yield in a single payment sound?

The stand-out is VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat (AUD Hedged) ETF (ASX: MHOT), which will pay $20.54 per unit.

That's not a typo.

Today, the MHOT ETF is $138.40 per unit, which means this next distribution, on its own, represents a 14.8% dividend yield.

Let's just take a moment to let that soak in.

Also paying a massive dividend this time around is VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX).

GDX ETF will pay $17.99 per unit.

At the time of writing, ASX GDX is $111.09 per unit, which means the next dividend represents a 16.2% yield.

Why are these payments so big?

In the case of MHOT, this next dividend is the fruits of mainly US companies with major competitive advantages (moats), benefiting from a record-high market, turbocharged by the US dollar's weakness against an ascendant Aussie dollar this year.

In the case of GDX, the dividend is the result of miners' supercharged earnings from a skyrocketing gold price over the past two years.

Other dividends for VanEck ASX ETF investors

Here is a condensed list of estimated distributions that VanEck will pay ASX ETF investors on 27 July.

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT) will pay $11.61 per unit.

The VanEck MSCI International Value ETF (ASX: VLUE) will pay $6.65 per unit.

VanEck MSCI Multifactor Emerging Markets Equity ETF (ASX: EMKT) will pay $4.64 per unit. 

The VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF (ASX: GOAT) will pay $2.68 per unit.

VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL) will pay $2.16 per unit.

The VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF (ASX: ESPO) will pay $1.93 per unit.

VanEck Global Defence ETF (ASX: DFND) will pay $1.20 per unit. 

The VanEck FTSE China A50 ETF (ASX: CETF) will pay $1.19 per unit.

VanEck MSCI International Sustainable Equity ETF (ASX: ESGI) will pay $1.02 per unit.

But wait, there's more!

VanEck Australian Property ETF (ASX: MVA) will pay 79 cents per unit.

The VanEck MSCI Australian Sustainable Equity ETF (ASX: GRNV) will pay 65 cents per unit.

The VanEck Australian Resources ETF (ASX: MVR) will pay 56 cents per unit.

VanEck Small Companies Masters ETF (ASX: MVS) will pay 27 cents per unit.

The VanEck Australian Banks ETF (ASX: MVB) will pay 15 cents per unit.

VanEck MSCI International Small Companies Quality ETF (ASX: QSML) will pay 13 cents per unit.

The VanEck 5-10 Year Australian Government Bond ETF (ASX: 5GOV) will pay 12 cents per unit.

VanEck Global Clean Energy ETF (ASX: CLNE) will pay 7 cents per unit.

The VanEck Global Healthcare Leaders ETF (ASX: HLTH) will pay 4 cents per unit.

The post Own GDX, MOAT, or ESPO? VanEck just announced ASX ETF dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The good news is that Bell Potter doesn't believe it is too late to add exposure to the sector.

This is especially the case given its belief that we are still in the early innings of a sustained supercycle.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter highlights that several megatrends are colliding and supporting structurally higher prices. It said:

Several megatrends are now colliding with a resource base that has been starved of investment for a decade. We believe new and higher price floors are being established across a basket of commodities. We see this as the early innings of a sustained supercycle. A supercycle is a structural rather than cyclical shift in demand that plays out over many years, globally and broadly at once. The 2000s cycle was built on China's industrialisation and urbanisation, and was intensive in bulk, fuel-type commodities: iron ore, coal and oil.

The cycle now forming is intensive in the materials behind electrification and compute power: copper, aluminium, uranium, lithium, nickel, and rare earths. Three structural forces are driving it together: the AI capital expenditure boom, global electrification, and deglobalisation. At the same time, supply across several of these commodities is structurally constrained, copper most of all. That constraint is the mechanism that turns strong demand into durable price floors rather than a short-lived cyclical spike.

How can you play the supercycle?

According to the note, Bell Potter has named four ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) that it believes would be great options for investors looking for exposure to the mining supercycle.

The first two are the Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM) and the Global X Uranium AUD ETF (ASX: ATOM) for uranium exposure. Bell Potter highlights that uranium gives investors "direct exposure to the power constraint on AI and clean energy, with its own tight supply story."

If you are looking for copper exposure, it has named Global X Copper Miners AUD ETF (ASX: WIRE) as one to buy. The broker notes that copper is "the cleanest beneficiary of both the AI / grid build-out and electrification, against a constrained supply outlook." For this reason, copper is its top commodity pick right now.

And with Bell Potter expecting the gold price to remain strong, it is tipping the VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX) as a buy. It believes the "de-dollarisation and central bank buying are long term structural thematics that will support the gold price."

The broker concludes:

Spot prices have already moved, with copper setting fresh records in early 2026. The miners, however, should be supported by a higher-for-longer price environment that consensus is not yet pricing. Sell-side estimates still assume reversion towards lower long-run price decks, so sustained elevated prices are reflected neither in forward earnings nor in current share prices. There will no doubt be volatility in commodity and share prices over the medium term, but we would take any weakness as a buying opportunity into this long term thematic.

The post 4 ASX ETFs to buy for the mining supercycle appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While technology and healthcare shares have struggled through bouts of volatility, commodity-linked investments have surged as investors pile into gold, critical minerals, and resource producers benefiting from inflation pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, and booming AI-driven energy demand.

That momentum has translated into massive gains for several ASX-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Here are three commodity-focused ASX ETFs that have exploded between 85% and 135% over the past 12 months.

BetaShares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: MNRS)

One of the standout performers has been the BetaShares Global Uranium ETF, which has surged an astonishing 112% over the past year.

The ASX ETF provides investors exposure to global uranium miners and companies tied to the nuclear energy supply chain.

Its biggest strength is clear: uranium demand is booming again. Governments around the world are increasingly embracing nuclear power as a low-emissions energy source capable of supporting AI data centres and energy-intensive infrastructure.

That has reignited investor enthusiasm for uranium producers after years of underinvestment across the sector.

The ETF's largest holdings currently include Cameco Corporation (TSX: CCO) and NexGen Energy Ltd (ASX: NXG).

However, the risks are equally significant. Uranium remains a highly volatile commodity, heavily influenced by political decisions, energy policy shifts, and investor sentiment. If uranium prices retreat sharply, the ETF could also experience large pullbacks.

VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX)

Another huge winner has been this VanEck gold ETF, which has climbed roughly 85% over the past 12 months.

As global uncertainty has intensified, investors have flooded into gold as a traditional safe-haven asset. That has delivered massive gains for gold mining companies, particularly as rising gold prices can significantly boost mining margins and profitability.

The ASX ETF provides diversified exposure to some of the world's largest gold producers, including major holdings like Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM).

One major strength of the ASX ETF is diversification. Rather than relying on a single miner, investors gain exposure across multiple producers and jurisdictions.

But risks remain. Gold miners can still be highly cyclical, while operational costs, geopolitical risks, and fluctuations in gold prices can all impact earnings.

Global X Physical Platinum ETF (ASX: ETPMAG)

Finally, the Global X Physical Platinum ETF has skyrocketed around 132% over the past year.

Unlike traditional mining ASX ETFs, this fund provides direct exposure to physical platinum bullion. Its main strength lies in its pure commodity exposure.

Platinum demand has surged amid tightening global supply conditions, industrial demand recovery, and growing interest in precious metals as inflation hedges.

Because the ETF directly tracks physical platinum, investors avoid many of the operational risks associated with mining companies. The primary holding is allocated physical platinum stored in secure vaults.

However, commodity prices can swing wildly, and platinum remains particularly sensitive to industrial demand cycles and global economic conditions.

The post These commodity ASX ETFs are leaving the market behind appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After a steep 9.1% drop between 27 February and 23 March, the ASX 200 recovered a bit to finish the month down 7.8%.

In April so far, ASX 200 shares are 1.05% higher after the US signalled yesterday that it may be out of Iran within two or three weeks.

James Gerrish from Shaw and Partners says the "war fear" in the market is now fading.

While the road out may be volatile, Gerrish and his Market Matters team are bullish on ASX 200 shares for the rest of the year.

In fact, they think the ASX 200 could re-test its all-time high of 9,200.9 points later in the year, if the Iran situation is resolved soon.

In his Market Matters newsletter today, Gerrish has named 3 ETFs to buy before the rally really gets started.

3 ASX ETFs to buy today: expert

Global X Copper Miners ETF (ASX: WIRE)

The WIRE ETF is $122.42 apiece on Thursday, down 1.2% today and down 17.9% over the past month.

The Market Matters team is targeting $30 for this exchange-traded fund over the next year or so.

The experts said:

Copper (Cu) has experienced a volatile few weeks as the Iran conflict brought into question global economic growth, even though it's underpinned by structural demand from industrial uses, particularly global electrification and the AI buildout.

At MM, we remain firm believers in the Cu story over the coming years and last month increased our exposure to Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) and bought Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) to increase our exposure to the industrial metal in the Active Growth Portfolio after the sector's 32% correction from its late January high.

A close above $24 would be a bullish technical trigger.

VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX)

This ASX gold ETF is $137.67 per unit, up 0.6% today and down 19% over the past month.

The Market Matters team is targeting the $160 area for the GDX ETF through 2026.

They said:

The GDX ETF gained more than 4% on Wednesday, though the move felt stronger locally with most ASX gold miners rallying 6–8%.

After a ~35% correction, the sector appears to have completed the anticipated washout following its surge to fresh highs in 2026.

We believe the broader uptrend remains intact, although a period of consolidation around ~$150 would not be surprising.

A close above $142 would be a bullish technical trigger.

BetaShares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM)

This ASX uranium ETF is $12.28 per unit, down 0.6% today and down 7.9% over the past month.

The Market Matters team said they like the URNM ETF after a 29% pullback, and remain constructive on the uranium sector.

They commented:

At MM, we believe nuclear power is the obvious clean energy source that works today, with US big tech agreeing, as they pour money into Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

Nuclear power accounts for ~10% of global electricity generation today with demand set to rise substantially over the coming years as AI usage ratchets up.

With the uranium market transitioning into a structural tightening phase, and a high probability of deficit emerging later this decade, the URNM ETF should push higher in the coming years.

A close above $12.60 would be a bullish technical trigger.

The post 3 ASX ETFs to buy before the rally really takes off: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A new report from VanEck suggests that this could be an opportunity for investors to buy the dip. 

Gold is currently trading around US$4,600 per ounce, down approximately 22% from its all-time high of US$5,595 in late January.

While the drawdown is significant, in our view it is presenting a compelling entry point for investors looking to add gold exposure.

What's causing the dip?

VanEck CEO Jan van Eck addressed the recent pullback, highlighting that several forces have hit gold simultaneously. 

He outlined that these drivers appear cyclical and technical rather than structural. 

Firstly, gold had been trading well above its long-term averages, making a short-term correction unsurprising. 

VanEck reinforced this move below the 200-day moving average aligns with normal pullbacks often seen during longer-term bull markets, rather than indicating a lasting bearish shift.

Additionally, ongoing tensions involving the US and Iran, along with pressure on energy-related revenues, may have led some sovereign investors to sell gold holdings to raise immediate cash. 

This appears to reflect temporary funding stress rather than any fundamental decline in long-term interest in gold.

Why gold shares could be set for a rebound

Despite recent volatility, VanEck said the structural drivers of gold remain firmly in place and in some cases are strengthening.

While the immediate impact of the conflict has pressured gold, history shows that oil shock events ultimately drive higher inflation and macro uncertainty, conditions under which gold has historically performed strongly.

VanEck said during previous oil-shock conflicts, particularly the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the 1991 Gulf War, gold demand surged over the medium term as investors priced in higher inflation and persistent macro uncertainty.

The current conflict has disrupted roughly 20% of global seaborne oil supply, the largest such disruption in modern history.

Looking through the volatility, we think the current environment continues to support gold's role as a strategic portfolio allocation and reinforces the case for adding exposure at current levels.

How to invest in gold shares

The ASX is home to many gold mining and production shares. 

Two of the largest ASX listed gold shares include: 

• Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)
• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

There are also ASX ETFs that provide exposure to gold shares through a basket of miners, or tracking the spot price of gold: 

• Vaneck Gold Bullion ETF (ASX: NUGG)
• VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX)
• Global X Physical Gold (ASX: GOLD)

The post Should you buy the dip on gold shares? Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The gold price rose to record highs, and along with it, many ASX gold shares. 

These companies also benefited from its position as a safe-haven asset.

Tariff fears, geopolitical uncertainty and global conflicts influenced investors decisions to push towards safe-haven assets like gold. 

Leading the way in 2025 were: 

• Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR) rose 220%
• Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) shares climbed 206%
• Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) share price roared 196% 
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares increased 194%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU), up 121%

Among the largest gold mining companies: 

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) rose by 73% in 2025.
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares climbed 164%
• Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) shares increased 152%.

What is happening in 2026?

According to Trading Economics, gold prices have climbed more than 16% year to date. 

Although the continuing conflict in the Middle East has influenced volatility.

Despite global gold prices rising, many of these red hot ASX gold shares have stumbled in 2026. 

Let's look how the best performing shares from last year are tracking so far in 2026. 

The only one in the positive at the time of writing is Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) which is up 12.9%. 

The other four: 

• Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR) down 26% 
• Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) down 7.4%
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) down almost 15%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) has fallen 7.4%

Among the largest gold mining companies, since the start of 2026, Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) is up 7% and Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) is up 3%, while Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) is down 15%. 

What does this tell us?

There's more that influences gold miners and producers than just the global commodity price. 

Gold miners and producers are influenced not just by the global gold price but also by operational performance, including production costs, mine efficiency, and reserves. 

Exploration success and new discoveries can boost a miner's value, while project delays or cost overruns can hurt it. 

Regulatory, environmental, and political risks in mining jurisdictions can affect production and investor confidence. 

Finally, currency fluctuations, interest rates, and investor sentiment in equity markets also play a significant role in share price movements.

Global diversity with gold ASX ETFS

For investors looking to gain exposure to gold shares, without selecting specific companies, may benefit from more diverse gold ETFs. 

These funds can spread the risk across more than just Australian gold miners. 

Some options include: 

• Etfs Metal Securities Australia – Etfs Physical Gold (ASX: GOLD) – Tracks the price of physical gold with bullion held in London vaults.
• BetaShares Global Gold Miners ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: MNRS) – comprises the largest global gold mining companies (ex-Australia), hedged into Australian dollars.
• VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX) – Provides exposure to a basket of global and Australian gold mining companies rather than the metal itself.

Alternatively, here are emerging ASX gold companies UBS has picked as winners. 

The post Which ASX gold shares have risen the most in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A new report from VanEck has shed light on the sectors that may hold up in this current environment. 

Global energy fragility 

According to VanEck, The Middle East crisis has reinforced how fragile global energy security is, particularly given Iran's role in oil production and the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint. 

As a result, investors are wondering how best to position themselves for the turmoil.

VanEck said we may be moving from a short-lived shock to a conflict that could last months, disrupting crude oil and LNG supply and affecting the energy system's core infrastructure, transport, production, and refining.

We think gold, defence, commodities and quality are structurally positioned for this environment.

Gold still a safe-haven 

VanEck said gold is supported by central bank accumulation, fiscal deterioration and geopolitical uncertainty.

Since the crisis broke out, gold has risen back above US$5,200/oz on safe-haven demand, and we think it is expected to push further.

According to the report, the structural drivers for gold, central banks accumulating at the fastest pace since Bretton Woods, US fiscal deterioration and the slow unwinding of dollar hegemony were in place before the Middle East conflict. 

The Strait of Hormuz threat, if it materialises, introduces the prospect of an inflationary oil shock on top of an already uncertain rate environment. That combination, geopolitical uncertainty plus inflation risk, is an environment in which gold has historically performed best.

For investors looking to gain exposure to gold shares, options include: 

• Vaneck Gold Bullion ETF (ASX: NUGG)
• VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX) – gives investors instant access to 92 of the largest and most liquid global gold mining companies.

Defence 

VanEck also noted defence spending was already in a structural upcycle; the conflict has accelerated the long-term repricing of security.

In terms of defence, if investors think long-term yields are near their highs, they could consider layering in duration, at the same time, with short-term rates rising, the yields on floating rate exposures will increase as rates rise. In addition, US Treasuries offer a potential portfolio hedge against risk-off periods and periods of rising rates.

ASX ETFs to consider in this sector include: 

• Vaneck Global Defence Etf (ASX: DFND)
• Betashares Global Defence ETF – Beta Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR). 

More information on global defence ETFs can be found here.

Energy and quality 

Furthermore, demand for traditional energy has increased, and investors are once again turning to traditional resources as well as critical minerals for strategic portfolio exposures. 

In terms of quality investing: 

The uncertainty creates volatility and quality companies tend to do relatively well in these environments as investors seek companies with stronger balance sheets and stable earnings.

Real assets also tend to perform relatively well because they provide tangible, consistent cash flows and act as inflation hedges.

For investors seeking energy and quality focussed exposure: 

• VanEck Vectors Msci World Ex Australia Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL)
• VanEck Australian Resources ETF (ASX: MVR)

The post How to position your ASX portfolio in the current environment – Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The gold price is continuing its recovery from the recent commodities rout, trading near a one-week high of $5,048 per ounce.

The gold price ripped to a record US$5,608 per ounce on 27 January.

A major sell-off began two days later on news of a hawkish Fed chair nominee, which sparked profit-taking in the metals markets.

The gold price rose by 27% in 2024 and 65% last year.

In 2026 so far, the yellow metal is still up by an impressive 16.7% despite the sell-off.

What's next for the gold price?

The most ambitious prediction for the gold price this year comes from Julia Du of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

ICBC is a partially state-owned multinational bank and the largest in the world by total asset value at $6.6 trillion, according to S&P Global.

Du says the gold price could crack the US$7,000 per ounce mark this year.

I expect 2026 to be a year of heightened geopolitical risk and strong safe-haven demand, allowing gold to continue the volatile yet upward trend.

Central banks are likely to keep adding to reserves, institutional investors will increase portfolio allocations, and retail demand – especially in Latin America – should remain robust.

Combined with continued Fed rate cuts, these forces support a bullish bias.

Temporary easing of tensions could trigger price pullbacks, but strong buying interest should limit downside.

Du is the most optimistic among scores of experts whose forecasts feature in the 2026 LBMA Annual Precious Metals Forecast Survey.

She predicts a peak of US$7,150 per ounce in 2026 and a low of US$4,100 per ounce during brief corrections, like the one we just saw.

Du is not alone in seeing potential for the gold price to rise through US$7,000 per ounce.

UBS also sees potential for the gold price to ascend beyond US$7,000 per ounce under the right circumstances.

In a note, UBS strategists Wayne Gordon and Giovanni Staunovo say the gold price could trade as high as US$7,200 per ounce and as low as US$4,600 per ounce in 2026.

… we now project an upside scenario target of USD 7,200/oz and a downside scenario of USD 4,600/oz (this is close to a one standard deviation move).

A hawkish pivot by the Federal Reserve could heighten risks to the downside, while a steep escalation in geopolitical tensions could bring us closer to the upside scenario.

Gold continues to be rated as Attractive, and we maintain a long position in our global asset allocation.

3 drivers for the gold price in 2026

Du says the three primary drivers of the gold price this year start with continuing central bank purchases to counter geopolitical risks.

Although prices are high, these purchases are strategic and relatively insensitive to price fluctuations.

The second driver will be institutional allocations, with Du commenting:

Last year's sharp gold rally highlighted its growth potential beyond safe-haven status.

With U.S. equities facing possible downturns, institutions are likely to boost gold allocations in their portfolios.

The third driver will be demand for physical gold amid social unrest in some parts of the world.

Social instability drives consumers to seek physical gold, especially in regions with severe currency depreciation and escalating conflicts such as Latin America.

Similar trends are emerging globally as more consumers recognise gold's investment value.

Record amounts flowing into gold ETFs

Across the global markets, gold ETFs received a record net inflow of US$19 billion (A$27.3 billion) last month.

According to the World Gold Council, gold ETFs now have a record US$669 billion in assets under management (AUM).

ASX gold ETFs attracted a net inflow of US$202 million in January, bringing local AUM to US$8.6 billion.

In 2025, Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) was the highest returning ASX ETF holding overseas shares.

The MNRS ETF gave a total return, including dividends, of 149% last year.

The second-best performer was VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX), which returned 144%.

The market's largest physical gold ETF, Global X Physical Gold (ASX: GOLD), returned 54% in 2025.

The post Could the gold price reach US$7,000 per ounce? This expert thinks so appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The inflows plus a 14% rise in the gold price pushed global gold ETF assets under management to a record US$669 billion.

That's a 20% increase on December.

Collective global holdings of the safe-haven asset rose by 120 tonnes to 4,145 tonnes, also a record high.

Asia invested a net $10 billion in gold ETFs in January, its strongest month ever, while the US invested $7 billion, its second-best month.

Europe invested a net $2 billion amid escalating geopolitical tensions over Greenland, which drove continued interest in gold ETFs.

Here in Australia, ASX gold ETFs attracted US$202 million in inflows, taking local AUM to US$8.6 billion.

What happened to the gold price in January?

The gold price reached a record US$5,608 per ounce during the month.

The commodities rout that started on 29 January put a three-day drag on gold's otherwise impressive monthly performance.

The council said investors appeared to buy the dip, with all regions bar Europe recording net inflows on 30 January and 2 February.

The gold price fell from US$5,608 per ounce on 29 January to $US4,405  per ounce on 2 February before commencing a rebound.

By the market close on Friday (Australian time), the gold price had recovered to about US$4,870 per ounce.

Interested in ASX gold ETFs?

Global asset manager, Sprott, which runs one of the world's largest gold bullion investment funds, says the reasons to invest in gold "remain in place, but are also compounding".

If you're interested in ASX gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), here are three options.

Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS)

The MNRS ETF invests in 56 gold shares, with 44% in Canada, 14% in the US, 13% in South Africa, and 8% in Brazil.

Its largest holding is Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM), which has CDIs listed on the ASX as Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM).

MNRS tracks the Nasdaq Global ex-Australia Gold Miners Hedged AUD Index.

This ASX ETF has total net assets of $267 million and a management fee of 0.57%.

VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX)

The GDX ETF invests in 93 shares, with 44% in Canada, 20% in the US, 11% in Australia, and 6% in China.

The ASX gold ETF's biggest holding is Newmont shares.

GDX is also invested in Aussie miners like Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN).

This ETF has total net assets of $1.61 billion and a 0.53% fee.

Global X Physical Gold (ASX: GOLD)

The GOLD ETF seeks to mirror the performance of the gold price in Australian dollars.

The index it tracks is the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (AUD).

Global X says GOLD is the largest and most liquid gold-backed ETF on the ASX, with the lowest bid/ask spread.

This ETF has total net assets of $6 billion and a 0.4% fee.

The post Gold ETFs attracted a record US$19 billion in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are four examples.

Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS)

The MNRS ETF gave a total return, including dividends, of 149% last year.

MNRS tracks the Nasdaq Global ex-Australia Gold Miners Hedged AUD Index.

The MNRS ETF invests in 56 gold shares, with 44% in Canada, 14% in the US, 13% in South Africa, and 8% in Brazil.

Its largest holding is Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM), which has CDIs listed on the ASX as Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM).

Newmont CDI shares are the only Aussie representation in the fund.

This ASX ETF has total net assets of $301 million and a management fee of 0.57%.

MNRS ETF is $20.01 per unit, up 2.62% today.

VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX)

The GDX ETF gave a total return of 139% last year.

The GDX ETF invests in 93 shares, with 44% in Canada, 20% in the US, 11% in Australia, and 6% in China.

The biggest holding is Newmont shares, and it's also invested in Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN).

This ETF has total net assets of $1.9 billion and a 0.53% fee.

GDX ETF is $166.60 per unit, up 2.21% today.

Global X Physical Silver Structured (ASX: ETPMAG)

The ETPMAG ETF delivered 133% returns last year.

This ETF simply tracks the silver price, so it pays no dividends.

The silver price ripped 147% higher last year. But get this: as of today, the commodity is up 272% year over year. It's nuts!

Silver is a key input for solar panels, electric vehicles, data centres, and modern tech equipment such as smartphones and laptops.

The commodity was added to the US Critical Minerals list in November due to a global shortage and rising demand.

ETPMAG is backed by physical silver. Each physical bar is segregated, individually identified, and allocated.

This ASX ETF has total net assets of $2 billion and a 0.49% fee.

ETPMAG ETF is $154.99 per unit, up 1.77% at the time of writing.

Global X is further capturing silver's run by launching a brand-new ETF this week, the Global X Silver Miners ETF (ASX: SLVM). 

Global X Physical Platinum Structured (ASX: ETPMPT)

The ETPMPT ETF gave a total return of 109% last year.

Like gold and silver, platinum is flying. The metal's price rose 125% in CY25 and is currently up 170% over 12 months.

Platinum is one of six metals in the Platinum Group Elements (PMEs).

PMEs are on the critical minerals lists of many countries, including the US and Australia.

Platinum is primarily used in the automotive industry. It's in the catalytic converters that reduce a vehicle's emissions.

ETPMPT is also backed by physical platinum, with segregated, individually identified, and allocated bars.

This ASX ETF has total net assets of $123 million and a 0.49% fee.

ETPMPT ETF is $359.07 per unit, up 1.05% today.

The post 4 ASX ETFs that produced 110% to 150% returns in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The gold price ripped to a new record of US$4,958 per ounce in earlier trading on Friday.

Analysts at Trading Economics say the gold price is on track for its strongest week since March 2020.

This is primarily due to high levels of ongoing central bank buying, lingering geopolitical risks, and a weaker US dollar. 

Amid these tailwinds, GDX ETF has delivered stunning gains to ASX investors.

In CY25, GDX produced a total return of 143.76%, making it the second-best-performing ETF of the 423 on the market.

The gold price rose by 65% in 2025 and 27% in 2024 as central banks sought to diversify their reserves from the US dollar.

Central banks also see gold as a safe-haven investment amid unpredictable geopolitics.

US tariffs and uncertainty over the US President's next moves on global trade have weakened the US currency.

Expectations of further US interest rate cuts also continue to support gold, and investors are highly optimistic.

Large inflows into international gold ETFs and ASX gold ETFs in the second half of 2025 provided more support for the gold price.

What is GDX ETF?

The GDX ETF seeks to mirror the performance of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (AUD) Index.

ASX GDX invests in 93 stocks, with 44% in Canada, 20% in the US, 11% in Australia, and 6% in China.

Its largest holding is also Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) shares.

It also holds Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares at 2.7% of investments and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) at 2%.

Let's consider what would have happened if you invested $10,000 in GDX a year ago.

Total investment return on $10,000

On 23 January 2025, GDX ETF closed at $60.13 apiece.

If you had invested $10,000 then, it would have bought you 166 units (for $9,981.58).

There's been capital growth of $97.83 per unit since then, which equates to a staggering $16,239.78 in dollar terms!

So, your GDX holding is now worth $26,221.36.

GDX ETF also paid a 63-cent dividend last year, which gave you $104.58 in income.

Your capital gain of $16,239.78 plus your dividends of $104.58 represent a total return of 164% over 12 months.

Now, just for fun, calculate in your head how many months of wages it would take to earn the $16,344.26 that GDX earned for you.

The mind boggles.

The post $10,000 invested in GDX ETF a year ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The gold price is up 0.5% to US$4,958 per ounce, a new record, at the time of writing.

ASX gold shares and ASX gold ETFs are going nuts on Friday.

Get this: the S&P/ASX All Ords Gold Index (ASX: XGD) soared 1,322 points higher to a record 21,612.2 points this morning.

That equates to a staggering 6.5% gain in one day. By comparison, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.34%.

The screaming gold price continues to defy expectations.

Just three months ago, top broker Goldman Sachs predicted that gold would rise to US$4,900 per ounce by the end of 2026.

Well, that happened today, and it's only January.

The broker conducted a poll of institutional investors in November and found one in three expect gold to go above US$5,000 per ounce.

That seems increasingly likely.

The gold price is up by just under 15% in the year to date.

The market pushed the yellow metal 7% higher this past week alone after US President Donald Trump slapped a new 10% tariff on goods from eight European nations to punish their opposition to his aspirations to buy Greenland.

The gold price rocketed 65% in 2025, following a 27% gain in 2024, largely due to central banks diversifying away from the US dollar.

Let's see what ASX gold shares and ETFs are doing today.

Hold on to your hats… this is going to be fun.

ASX gold shares soar as gold price hits new record

Let's focus on the large-cap ASX gold shares first.

The Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is up 6.23% to $27.81.

Northern Star shares dropped 8.1% yesterday after the miner disappointed the market with its December quarter report.

Northern Star's report, significant because it's the largest gold miner by market cap on the ASX, combined with news of lower unemployment in Australia, which raised the prospects of an interest rate hike this year, weighed on gold shares and ETFs yesterday.

The Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is up 6.59% to $15.04.

Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) shares are up 4.64% to $179.90 apiece.

Among the mid-cap ASX gold shares, Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are up 8.3% to $4.96.

The Greatland Resources Ltd (ASX: GGP) share price is up 9.81% to $14.22.

The Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) share price is $8.06, up 8.04%.

Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 6.6% to $6.46 apiece.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are up 6.67% to $7.76.

The Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) share price is up 4% to $15.47.

Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) shares are up 4.76% to $5.94 apiece.

Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) shares are up 8.64% to $8.24.

How about ASX small-cap gold shares?

Among the small-cap ASX gold shares, Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) shares are up 8.14% to $1.40.

The Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR) share price is 5.83% higher at $5.45.

Meeka Metals Ltd (ASX: MEK) shares are up 3.57% to 29 cents.

Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd (ASX: KCN) shares are up 2.48% to $7.03 apiece.

The Golden Horse Minerals Ltd CDI (ASX: GHM) share price is 0.64% higher at 79 cents.

Black Cat Syndicate Ltd (ASX: BC8) shares are up 5.24% to $1.56.

(By the way, Warwick Grigor, an analyst at Far East Capital, offered some advice on how to select small-cap gold stocks to buy this week.)

What about ASX gold ETFs?

The Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) streaked 4.87% to a record $18.94 per unit today.

MNRS was the best performer among the 423 ETFs on the Australian share market last year.

The VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX) is up 4.54% to $157.45.

Perth Mint Gold (ASX: PMGOLD) is up 2.29% to $71.92 per unit.

Global X Physical Gold (ASX: GOLD) is up 2.63% to $66.27 per unit.

VanEck Australian Resources ETF (ASX: MVR), the No. 1 performer among ETFs holding ASX shares in 2025, is up 1.22% to $47.41.

The post ASX gold shares go crazy as gold price rips toward US$5,000 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Access to global markets is one of the reasons Australians sank a net $53 billion into ETFs last year, up 75% on 2024.

There is now $331 billion invested across 423 ETFs on the market, according to Betashares data.

The Australian Securities Exchange has just released the full-year performance data for ASX ETFs in 2025.

Here, we look at the six ETFs holding international shares that delivered the best total returns last year.

Top 6 ASX ETFs holding international shares

The green energy transition and strongly rising commodity prices were the key themes across the top six ETFs for 2025.

1. Betashares Global Gold Miners ETF — Currency Hedged (ASX: MNRS)

MNRS ETF was the best-performing ETF holding international shares last year.

The Global Gold Miners ETF delivered an astounding total return of 155.87%. The historical distribution yield is 0.2%.

MNRS was pushed higher by the surging gold price, which propelled gold mining stocks worldwide.

The gold price rose 65% in 2025, its greatest annual rise in more than four decades, after a 27% gain in 2024.

This ETF's currency hedging proved very valuable in 2025 as the USD weakened against the AUD. We explain the impact here.

MNRS ETF is $18.04 per unit on Thursday, down 4.25%.

2. VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX)

The VanEck Gold Miners ETF delivered a similarly stunning return of 143.76%. The historical distribution yield is 0.48%.

GDX ETF is $150.60 per unit, down 5.9% at the time of writing.

3. Global X Physical Silver Structured (ASX: ETPMAG)

The ETPMAG ETF delivered a remarkable return of 132.84% with no dividends paid.

The silver price skyrocketed in 2025 by a staggering 147% due to tighter supply and demand.

Silver is a key input in solar panels, electric vehicles, and AI infrastructure like data centres due to its superior conductivity to copper.

Technology manufacturers also use silver to build circuits, connectors, and to solder metals in smartphones and laptops.

The commodity was added to the US Critical Minerals list in November.

ETPMAG ETF is $123.67 per unit, down 4% at the time of writing.

4. Global X Physical Platinum Structured (ASX: ETPMPT)

The ETPMPT ETF more than doubled in value with a total return of 109.49%. No dividends were paid.

Platinum is one of six metals in the Platinum Group Elements (PMEs).

PMEs are on the critical minerals lists of many countries, including the US, Australia, Europe, the UK, India, and Japan.

Platinum is used in catalytic converters in low-emissions cars, aerospace alloys, chemical refining, and petroleum processing .

ETPMPT ETF is $323 per unit, down 3.6% today.

5. Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF (ASX: XMET)

The XMET ETF delivered a fantastic one-year return of 100.47%. The historical distribution yield is 0.19%.

XMET ETF is $17.49 per unit, down 2.4%.

6. Global X Green Metal Miners ETF (ASX: GMTL)

The GMTL ETF produced an impressive total return of 81.01%. The historical distribution yield is 0.19%.

GMTL ETF is $15.23 per unit, up 0.2%.

Further reading

Check out the six best-performing ETFs holding ASX shares for 2025.

The post Astronomical returns: Best 6 ASX ETFs holding international shares for 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Their outstanding performance came on the back of a 65% rally in the gold price — its best year for growth since 1979.

And that was on top of a 27% gain in 2024.

The gold price reached a new record high of US$4,533 per ounce in December 2025.

That has since been surpassed at US$$4,642.58 this month.

The gold price has been on a tear since early 2024, driven by central banks buying the yellow metal.

Goldman Sachs Research analyst Lina Thomas said central banks have increased their gold purchases by fivefold since 2022.

The catalyst was Russia's foreign-currency reserves being frozen following its invasion of Ukraine.

Goldman Sachs says central banks hoarding gold is a long-term structural shift.

The banks see gold as a hedge amid waning confidence in the US dollar.

US tariffs and uncertainty over the US President's next moves on global trade and geopolitics have weighed on the US currency.

Central banks also see gold as a safe-haven investment amid increasingly volatile geopolitics.

Expectations of further interest rate cuts in the world's biggest economy continue to support the gold price.

Investors remain highly optimistic about gold, with particularly large inflows into gold ETFs worldwide in the second half of 2025.

Some gold ETFs invest in physical gold, while others invest in gold miners.

Here are two ASX gold mining ETFs that delivered triple-digit returns for investors last year.

Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS)

The MNRS ETF gave a total return of 149% in 2025.

MNRS seeks to mirror the performance of the Nasdaq Global ex-Australia Gold Miners Hedged AUD Index.

The MNRS ETF invests in 56 gold shares, with 44% in Canada, 14% in the US, 13% in South Africa, and 8% in Brazil.

Its largest holding is Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM), which is dual listed on the ASX as Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM).

There are no other ASX gold shares in the fund.

This ASX ETF has total net assets of $262 million and a management fee of 0.57%.

VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX)

The GDX ETF gave a total return of 139% in 2025.

The GDX ETF invests in 93 stocks, with 44% in Canada, 20% in the US, 11% in Australia, and 6% in China.

Its largest holding is also Newmont Corp shares.

It also holds Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares at 2.7% of investments and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) at 2%.

This ETF has total net assets of $1.71 billion and a 0.53% fee.

The post 2 ASX ETFs that delivered triple-digit returns in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.