Live Gold Price Chart
The interactive chart below shows the gold spot price (XAU/USD) in real time. Use the timeframe buttons to view price movements from intraday trading to multi-year trends.
Latest Gold News & Analysis
Stay informed with our latest coverage of the gold market, price movements, central bank activity, and expert analysis.
How to Invest in Gold
Investors have several options for gaining exposure to gold, each with different characteristics, costs, and risk profiles.
Physical Gold
Gold bullion — bars and coins — offers direct ownership of the physical metal. Physical gold requires secure storage and insurance but provides tangible ownership without counterparty risk. Popular options include:
Gold Coins
American Gold Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, South African Krugerrands — recognized worldwide with guaranteed purity.
Gold Bars
From established refiners like PAMP Suisse, Valcambi, and Argor-Heraeus. Available from 1 gram to 400 oz (London Good Delivery).
Gold ETFs
Gold exchange-traded funds provide convenient exposure to the gold price without the need for physical storage. These funds hold real gold bullion and trade like stocks on major exchanges:
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)
The world’s largest gold ETF by assets under management. Launched in 2004.
iShares Gold Trust (IAU)
BlackRock’s gold ETF with a lower expense ratio than GLD.
abrdn Physical Gold (SGOL)
Physically backed, with gold stored in Zurich and London vaults.
SPDR Gold MiniShares (GLDM)
Lower-cost version of GLD, designed for buy-and-hold investors.
Gold Futures
Gold futures contracts trade on the COMEX exchange and allow investors to speculate on future gold prices with leverage. Futures are primarily used by institutional traders and require understanding of contract specifications, margin requirements, and rollover procedures. The standard COMEX gold contract covers 100 troy ounces.
Gold Mining Stocks
Gold mining companies offer leveraged exposure to the gold price. When gold rises, mining company profits typically increase at a faster rate. Major gold miners include:
Newmont Corporation (NEM)
World’s largest gold miner by production volume and market capitalization.
Barrick Gold (GOLD)
Tier-one assets across North America, Africa, and the Middle East.
Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM)
Focused on operations in Canada, Australia, Finland, and Mexico.
Franco-Nevada (FNV)
Royalty and streaming model — gold exposure without direct mining risk.
Mining stocks carry additional risks including energy costs, operational challenges, geopolitical exposure, and management execution.
Gold Savings & Digital Gold
Modern platforms allow fractional gold ownership from as little as $1. Digital gold products are backed by physical bullion stored in insured vaults, offering a convenient entry point for smaller investors without the logistics of physical storage.
Historical Gold Prices
Understanding gold’s price history provides context for current valuations and helps identify long-term trends driven by inflation, geopolitics, and monetary policy cycles.
Gold Price History Chart
Key Price Milestones
| Date | Event | Price |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Current all-time high | $5,595 |
| December 2025 | First time above $4,500 | $4,500+ |
| October 2025 | Breaks $4,000 milestone | $4,381 |
| March 2025 | Breaks $3,000 for the first time | $3,005 |
| October 2024 | Record high (pre-US election) | $2,790 |
| March 2024 | New all-time high (pre-halving rally) | $2,220 |
| August 2020 | COVID-era all-time high | $2,075 |
| September 2011 | Post-financial-crisis peak | $1,921 |
| December 2015 | Multi-year bear market low | $1,050 |
| January 2000 | Turn of the millennium | $283 |
| January 1980 | Inflation-driven spike | $850 |
| August 1999 | All-time low (modern era) | $253 |
Gold surged approximately 65% in 2025, setting 53 new all-time highs during the year — one of its strongest annual performances since the late 1970s. The rally was driven by central bank buying, trade war fears, and a weaker US dollar.
See also:
Gold Key Statistics
What Drives the Gold Price?
Multiple factors influence gold’s price movements, often simultaneously:
- Interest rates & monetary policy — Lower real rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold, boosting demand
- US dollar strength — Gold is priced in USD; a weaker dollar makes gold cheaper for foreign buyers
- Inflation expectations — Gold is widely viewed as a hedge against purchasing power erosion
- Central bank demand — Official-sector purchases exceeded 1,000 tonnes annually in 2022–2024, with 863 tonnes in 2025
- Geopolitical risk — Wars, trade conflicts, and political instability drive safe-haven flows
- ETF & investment flows — Gold ETFs added 638 tonnes in 2025, approaching the 2020 peak in total holdings
- Jewelry & industrial demand — Jewelry accounts for a significant share of physical demand, led by China and India
- Mine supply dynamics — Global production growth remains constrained at around 1–2% per year
Gold vs Bitcoin — Comparison
| Feature | Gold | Bitcoin |
|---|---|---|
| History | Thousands of years | Since 2009 |
| Supply | ~2% annual growth (mining) | Fixed cap (21 million) |
| Storage | Physical vaults, insured | Digital wallets |
| Portability | Heavy, requires logistics | Instant digital transfer |
| Divisibility | Limited (minimum ~1 gram) | 8 decimal places (satoshi) |
| Volatility | Low to moderate | High |
| Regulatory status | Well established | Evolving |
| Central bank holdings | ~36,200 tonnes globally | None (some national reserves) |
