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Between unrest in the Middle East, government bonds with negative yields, and international central bank stimulus measures, there’s certainly no shortage of reasons to own gold this year.
And of the many ways to add the yellow metal to your portfolio, a gold ETF is a convenient option. 
Gold acts like an insurance policy against geopolitical woes, devalued currencies, deflation, and inflation. It’s also a good portfolio diversifier.
Gold prices are low right now, so it’s a great time to buy. After a January rally took gold up 11% over two and a half weeks, prices stumbled. Gold’s year-to-date gains have now faded to 2.5%.
But Money Morning Resource Specialist Peter Krauth recently listed several reasons he believes gold prices will see better days ahead. He predicts gold will rise from its current level ($1,199 an ounce at time of writing) to end Q2 in the $1,250 to $1,270 range.
Here’s a look at what a gold ETF can offer investors – plus five top gold ETFs to get started with today…
Gold ETFs Offer Ease and Convenience
Investors have a number of options when buying gold.
Those who prefer physical gold can purchase bars, jewelry, or coins. But investing in physical gold typically requires expensive and sometimes complicated arrangements in connection with transportation, warehousing, and insurance.
Gold stocks and mutual funds are another option.
Finally, gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are an increasingly popular choice.
Gold ETFs provide investors with exposure to the yellow metal by tracking the price of gold. This allows investors to profit from gold’s price gains without having to own physical bullion, for a more convenient and liquid way to own and trade gold.
According to ETF.com, there are currently 38 ETFs that invest in gold. That’s up from 16 in 2010.
Following are the top four gold ETFs by assets and average daily volume. We’ve also included one that lets you exchange shares for physical gold.
With the amount of talk about the currency collapse, why would anyone that can afford to put money into gold ,not do so? The general consensus is up to 20 percent of your liquid assets. I personally like bullion in small amounts, ie 1 gram. This is easy to trade if currency Been comes worthless! Really hope gold never becomes the currency.
I would much prefer physical Gold. Were a paper metals buy be in order it would be the miners that line ones pockets.
Tnx for analysis good for taking action
Why is there such a difference in price of the different ETFs. Like the SPDR etf at $115 and then the ishares gold trust at $11.63 each. What is the difference in these two gold trusts that causes such a price difference? I am considering buying into gold and thought a gold IRA would be good but I am beginning to think the fees associated may not make it worth doing and figured either buying bullion or now even the ETFs.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHO HAS POSSESSION ("OWNS IT").
Sure, you can hedge some types of portfolio risk by "owning" various forms of gold. For most retail investors ( the public) that would probably be one of the paper options you outlined, such as ETF GLD. However, in a real crisis or emergency ( banks closed, currency or bond market crisis, or most recently, a real riot as in Baltimore, M.D. or Ferguson, MO) only physical precious metals will do.
Plus, you keep direct control of them and you own them and with absolutely no counterparty risks. That is real possession. This is no small consideration either in an age of 100 Trillion dollar global Derivative Markets combined with low liquidity and low net worth U.S. Banks and the FED. Don't forget about silver, especially old "junk" U.S. minted pre-1965 silver coins ( quarters and dimes ). Silver has alot of potential too.
Another consideration: If the financial system ever "breaks" for any reason in the future, then all bets are off. A panic or global dollar crisis would spark a run on the primary retail dealers of gold or silver ( there are not that many of them compared to bank branches). As it is, you can not find any primary precious metals dealers who have any silver coins or "junk" silver in-stock. Even if they did, you now would pay a 20% premium over spot compared to last August to get it delivered to you.
Today, only about 5% of Americans own any physical gold or silver in any denomination and have not since at least 1933. Any shift towards say 8% or 10% of the investing public to increase their gold or silver allocations would push up the price. There is a global shortage of physical gold and silver. It can only get worse ( better if you own it already).