iShares Physical Gold ETC

iShares Physical Gold ETC is an exchange-traded commodity (ETC) that provides investors with direct exposure to the spot price of physical gold bullion. Issued by iShares, part of BlackRock, it physically holds London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Good Delivery standard gold bars, custodied by JP Morgan, ensuring the securities are fully backed by this allocated precious metal. The ETC replicates gold price movements through collateralized debt securities, valued daily at the London afternoon fix, with a low total expense ratio supporting cost-effective access. Launched in 2011 and domiciled in Ireland, iShares Physical Gold ETC has grown to a substantial fund size exceeding EUR 32 billion, establishing it as one of the largest gold-tracking ETCs globally. It operates on a long-only strategy without currency hedging, exposing holders to unhedged USD gold prices, and follows an accumulating distribution policy. In the financial markets, it serves as a key instrument for portfolio diversification, inflation hedging, and tactical allocation to commodities, mirroring gold's role as a store of value amid economic uncertainty. Its structure as a limited recourse obligation ties payouts solely to the underlying gold collateral, highlighting the inherent volatility of precious metals compared to other asset classes.