There is more than one way to invest in gold, and the options are not interchangeable. Physical bullion is owned directly but has to be stored and insured. A gold ETF is a fund that tracks the gold price and is bought through a brokerage account, so you hold shares in the fund and not the metal. Mining stocks are shares in companies, so their prices also depend on costs, management and the wider stock market.
The guides in this section explain how each option works, what it costs to buy, hold and sell, and where the main risks sit. Gold does not pay interest or dividends, and its price can fall for long periods.