Investing in gold, in whatever form, has remained one of the most popular financing options for decades. However, what we consider to be an evergreen investment opportunity has undergone some significant modifications over the years, which have had a significant impact on its market value and how investors perceive it. Those interested in gold can invest in it through ETFs (exchange-traded funds), gold miners’ equities, or buying gold in person in Canada. Each of these solutions is equally popular among investors and has assisted them in building a strong investment portfolio.
Gold, like any other investment option, is not without its detractors who advise against it. There is clearly a discussion about whether or not it is still profitable to invest in gold. On the one hand, while some argue that gold is only good for jewelry and not a good investment, others believe that it is a valuable asset that can help people financially in a variety of ways due to its inherent features.
Table of Contents
Gold’s Brief History
To obtain a better understanding of gold and the various investing alternatives available to you. It’s crucial to consider its origins and history. As we all know, gold was initially used as a material for jewelry about 2000 B.C., and it is still used today, but in 560 B.C., people understood its monetary value and began utilizing it as a currency. Gold gradually gained acceptance and recognition as a highly profitable investment option in various parts of the globe.
Important: Investing in gold with the belief it never loses value is the incorrect strategy. Like any investment or financial asset, gold is subject to supply and demand constraints that cause the price to vary.
The Modern Economy & Gold
Today, gold is still a symbol of riches for people all over the world, and its value in society remains unrivaled. It is unquestionably vital to the global economy, and it can be easily verified by looking at the balance sheets of financial institutions or central banks. In today’s world, these organizations have nearly a quarter of the gold, and they are continuously working to acquire more.
Gold is a wealth preserver
One of the key reasons why gold is favored by the world’s leading financial institutions is that it has effectively safeguarded and kept wealth for generations. It may not have supplied investors with a lot of liquidity with its earlier investment alternatives, but that problem has been rectified with the new gold investment possibilities.
Apart from maintaining wealth, it increases in monetary value dramatically over time. If you had invested $100 in gold 10 or 20 years ago, your money would have grown tremendously by 2021, but if you had saved $100, it would have remained the same.
Gold as Safe Haven
Every other investment option is easily influenced by even the tiniest market highs and lows, but gold’s value is not so easily eroded. The world economy may not be in the finest shape right now, especially in light of the recent epidemic, but when you look at gold prices, you’ll see that investors who were wise enough to place their money in gold are reaping the benefits even now.
Gold can be a Diversifying Investment
It is unsurprising that gold is now regarded as a diversified investment. People have used it as an investment option in the past, and it continues to assist investors to diversify their portfolios today. People who are concerned about the US dollar’s decline, inflation, or protecting their wealth can put their concerns to rest with this diversification.
The US Dollar’s Weakness
Despite the fact that the US dollar is one of the world’s most important reserve currencies, when the dollar’s value declines against other currencies, as it did between 1998 and 2008, individuals typically turn to gold for security, driving up gold prices. Between 1998 and 2008, the price of gold roughly tripled, reaching $1,000 per ounce in early 2008, and nearly doubling between 2008 and 2012, reaching beyond $2,000 per ounce. 1 The dollar fell due to a variety of factors, including the country’s massive budget and trade deficits, as well as a large increase in the money supply.
Hedge Against Inflation
Because gold’s price tends to rise when the cost of living rises, it has historically been a good inflation hedge. During high-inflation years during the last 50 years, gold prices have soared and the stock market has plummeted. Because gold is valued in those currency units when fiat currency loses its purchasing power due to inflation, it tends to climb in tandem with everything else. Furthermore, because gold is seen as an excellent store of value, people may be enticed to purchase it if they perceive their local currency is losing value.
Deflationary Defense
Deflation is characterized as a period in which prices fall, corporate activity slows, and the economy is burdened by excessive debt, something that hasn’t happened since the Great Depression of the 1930s (although a small degree of deflation occurred following the 2008 financial crisis in some parts of the world). During the Great Depression, gold’s relative purchasing power increased, while other prices plummeted. This is because people preferred to hoard cash, and at the time, the safest way to keep it was in gold and gold coins.
Uncertainty in Geopolitics
Not just in times of financial uncertainty, but also in times of geopolitical instability, gold retains its value. It’s known as the “crisis commodity” because when global tensions mount, people flock to it for its relative safety; during these periods, it often outperforms other investments. Gold prices, for example, have seen significant price changes this year as a result of the European Union issue. Its value rises the most when people have less faith in governments.
Supply Limitations
Since the 1990s, gold bullion sold from the vaults of global central banks has accounted for a large portion of the market’s supply. Global central bank selling slowed dramatically in 2008. Simultaneously, new gold production from mines has been dropping since 2000. Annual gold mining output declined from 2,573 metric tonnes in 2000 to 2,444 metric tonnes in 2007, according to BullionVault.com (however, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, gold saw a rebound in production with output hitting nearly 2,700 metric tonnes in 2011.) 23 A new mine can take anything from five to ten years to get up and running. Gold prices rise as the supply of precious metal is reduced.
Growing Demand
Increased affluence in developing market nations drove gold demand in prior years. Gold is deeply ingrained in the cultures of many of these countries. The demand for gold has remained steady in China, where gold bars constitute a traditional means of saving. India is the world’s second-largest gold consumer, and it is used for a variety of purposes, including jewelry. As a result, the Indian wedding season in October is generally the time of year when global demand for gold is highest.
Gold has also become more popular among investors. Commodities, particularly gold, are increasingly being viewed as an investment class to which capital should be committed. In reality, as of 2019, SPDR Gold Trust was one of the largest ETFs in the United States and the world’s largest holder of gold bullion.
Diversification of your portfolio
Finding investments that are not strongly associated with one another is the key to diversification; historically, gold has had a negative correlation to equities and other financial instruments. This is supported by recent history:
- The 1970s were a good time for gold, but a bad one for equities.
- Stocks had a great run in the 1980s and 1990s, but gold had a bad run.
- Consumers shifted to gold in 2008, causing stock prices to plummet.
- To lower overall volatility and risk, properly diversified investors combine gold with stocks and bonds in a portfolio.
Gold Price Predictions For the Next 8 Years (Until 2030)
| Year | Gold Price Prediction |
| 2021 | $2,500 |
| 2022 | $3,000 |
| 2023 | $3,449 |
| 2024 | $4,721 |
| 2024 | $4,988 |
| 2025 | $5,012 |
| 2030 | $8,732 |
Gold Investment Options in Various Forms
In today’s world, investors have a variety of gold investment options to choose from in order to diversify their portfolios. They can select any option from the following list based on their demands and flexibility:
- Mutual Funds that Invest in Gold
- Bullion in Gold
- Jewelry made of gold
- Futures on Gold
- Coins made of gold
- Companies that deal with gold
- ETFs that invest in gold
Important: One of the advantages of investing in actual gold is that you may sell it fast if necessary. However, because gold coins and bullion are frequently sold at a premium and purchased at a discount, you may not receive the market price when it comes time to sell.
The Advantages of Gold Investing
Investing in gold can help you achieve both long and short-term objectives. Investing in gold can be an excellent strategy to build wealth over time for people searching for a high return on their investment. Gold has the advantage of not fluctuating as much as other assets, which allows investors to profit when the market fluctuates and prices are unexpected. This is in contrast to other investments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, where losses and gains can fluctuate depending on the country’s government policies and economic conditions. The benefit of investing in gold is that it does not depreciate in value, therefore it is a smart investment regardless of the economy.
Investing in gold might also help you save money on taxes. There are no yearly tax fees associated with gold investments, which is one of its advantages. The nicest thing about investing in gold is that there is very little risk involved, as gold assets will often keep their value even if the market falls. Furthermore, gold investments are not vulnerable to inflation and are unaffected by global government policy.
Anyone looking to diversify their financial assets should consider investing in gold. Gold is one of the safest and most secure investment options accessible, with the potential for significant gains. The benefit of investing in gold investments is that you can get a good return on your money while reducing your risk of losing money.
Final Thoughts
Because gold’s price rises in response to circumstances that cause the value of paper investments, such as stocks and bonds, to fall, it should be a key component of a well-diversified investment portfolio. Although the price of gold fluctuates in the short term, it has always held its worth in the long run. It has worked as a buffer against inflation and the depreciation of major currencies over the years, making it a worthwhile investment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do silver and bitcoin compare to gold?
Silver is far more akin to gold than bitcoin, but all three have one thing in common (at least in the views of their respective investors): they are all market or inflation hedges. Silver, like gold, can be used to produce things and worn as jewelry. Bitcoin is a far newer asset, and because it lacks the centuries of data that gold has, its efficacy as a hedge is highly speculative.
Is purchasing GLD shares equivalent to purchasing gold?
Purchasing GLD shares is the same as purchasing gold for the average investor or trader. GLD shares will duplicate gold price exposure, fewer costs associated with keeping gold and trading GLD shares. It’s crucial to note, however, that GLD shares do not entitle you to real gold. You can’t, for example, exchange your GLD shares for gold bars.
What is the future of gold?
According to David Lennox of Fat Prophets, gold might reach new all-time highs of $2,100 per ounce in 2022. Dollar weakening and inflation are two variables that are expected to drive up the price of the precious metal, he added.
What is the highest price of gold in history?
Gold hit an all-time high of 2074.88 in August 2020. Gold – historical data, projections, and charts – was last updated in April 2022.
