Global investors channelled a record $89-billion into physically-backed gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2025 as the gold price set new highs and demand for safe-haven assets intensified, pushing assets under management and trading liquidity to unprecedented levels, Goldhub – operated by the World Gold Council – has reported. The surge in investment followed a year in which the gold price broke records 53 times, delivering its strongest yearly performance since 1979. As a result, global gold ETF assets under management doubled to a record $559-billion by year end, while total holdings rose to a historic peak of 4 025 t, up from 3 224 t in 2024.