Practical Guide: Investing in Gold in 2025 from Reliable Platforms

Gold has solidified its position as a safe haven during times of uncertainty. From 2024 to the first half of 2025, its price has experienced an extraordinary rally, climbing more than 103% in less than eighteen months. Considering that five decades ago it was trading at 35 dollars per ounce, reaching current figures close to 4200 dollars, we are witnessing an accumulated increase of approximately 120 times its initial value. This article will show you where and how to invest in gold safely, analyzing the best regulated platforms and available strategies.

Recommended Platforms: Where to Invest in Gold

If you want to invest in gold online with peace of mind, choosing the right platform is essential. Here are five options that comply with strict international regulations:

Mitrade: The Most Accessible Option

Founded in Melbourne, Australia, Mitrade stands out for its ease of access. With a minimum deposit of just 20 USD, it is ideal for beginners. It holds licenses from ASIC, CIMA, and FSC, ensuring secure operations. Its intuitive platform allows trading gold with leverage of 1 to 100 times. It offers various deposit methods (Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, bank transfers) and a free demo account to practice risk-free.

Main features:

• No commissions, competitive spreads
• One free withdrawal per month; 5 USD for additional withdrawals
• Access to multiple assets in a single account
• Frequent promotions and optimized mobile tools

eToro: Community and Social Learning

eToro, operating since 2007, leads with over 30 million global users. Its strength lies in CopyTrader™, allowing you to replicate successful trader strategies. Although it requires a minimum deposit of 100 USD and charges an inactivity fee (10 USD monthly after 12 months of no activity), its extensive asset catalog and community focus attract especially investors eager to learn.

Main features:

• No commissions, low spreads
• Advanced social trading tools
• Simplified interface for beginners
• Withdrawals with a 5 USD fee

AvaTrade: Professional Analysis Tools

Established in 2006, AvaTrade has over 400,000 users. It differentiates itself by providing comprehensive analysis and access to real-time market news. It offers both spot gold and futures contracts. Important: it applies a 10 USD inactivity fee monthly if the account remains inactive for two consecutive months with less than 2000 USD capital.

Main features:

• No commissions, reduced spreads
• Integrated analysis and economic information
• Compatible with MetaTrader 4
• Access from multiple regions

TIOmarkets: Regulation and Flexibility

TIOmarkets (founded 2019) is regulated by the FCA in the UK, one of the most demanding globally. It stands out for account-type-based commissions, unlimited leverage, and no withdrawal fees. Its downside is that it requires some adaptation for novice users to its interface.

Main features:

• FCA regulation at the highest level
• Variety of account types
• Unlimited leverage
• Compatible with MetaTrader

Tickmill: Low Cost and Variety

Since 2014, Tickmill has accumulated over 785,000 active accounts, earning a reputation for low costs. Regulated by FCA, FSA, and CySEC, it offers a wide range of instruments. Standard accounts do not charge commissions but have wider spreads. It requires a minimum of 100 USD and applies a 10 USD annual inactivity fee.

Main features:

• Triple regulation (FCA, FSA, CySEC)
• Very low trading costs
• Multiple account types
• Periodic promotions

Four Different Ways to Invest in This Precious Metal

Before choosing a platform, understand the available modalities:

Futures and CFDs: For Agile Traders

A CFD (Contract for Difference) represents an agreement between investor and broker on price variations without owning the actual asset. This is ideal for beginners with limited capital (less than 1000 USD). It allows leveraging, accessing multiple instruments in one account: stocks, ETFs, currency pairs. It enables both buying (long) and speculating on declines (short).

Pros and cons:

• Quick access and low capital requirement
• High risk with aggressive leverage
• Speculation without tangible asset
• Flexibility to operate bullish and bearish positions

ETFs: Instant Diversification

ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) group multiple assets into a single vehicle. There are funds dedicated to tracking gold directly (like SPDR Gold Shares, iShares Gold Trust, SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust) or others that include related mining companies.

Pros and cons:

• Automatic diversification and easy access
• Limited freedom for individual movements
• High liquidity but management fees
• You do not own the metal nor control corporate decisions

Mining Stocks: Requires Financial Knowledge

Investing in mining company stocks (Wheaton Precious Metals Corp, Dundee Precious Metals Inc, DRDGold Limited) indirectly links you to gold. It requires in-depth financial analysis, evaluation of financial statements, and predictions about future operations.

Pros and cons:

• Income potential via dividends
• Detailed financial analysis required
• Sensitive to specific corporate factors
• Stock risk beyond the commodity

Physical Gold: Tangibility with Complexity

Bars, coins, or jewelry represent tangible possession. It offers psychological security but involves risks: theft, loss, storage costs in bank safes, low liquidity for quick sale, and high taxes on gains.

Pros and cons:

• Direct access and intrinsic value
• High risk of theft
• Significant safeguarding costs
• Low liquidity and higher tax rates

Risk Perspective: Advantages and Disadvantages

Before investing in gold, evaluate both sides:

The Positives

Gold acts as a safe asset during economic turbulence. During the 2008-2012 crisis, its price rose over 100%. It also hedges against inflation: when the dollar loses purchasing power, gold typically rises. Finally, it provides effective portfolio diversification, reducing overall risk by not correlating with other assets under similar conditions.

The Negatives

Gold offers modest returns compared to stocks or cryptocurrencies. Owning and storing gold entails extra costs: transportation, insurance, safes. Selling physical gold generates high taxes in many jurisdictions, heavier than in Forex, stocks, or ETFs.

Short-Term Trading: Profit from Price Declines

Do you think gold will fall? Short selling allows profiting from declines. It involves selling an asset you do not own, expecting to buy it back cheaper later. Example: if gold is at 1800 USD/ounce and you expect it to fall to 1700, you sell at 1800 and buy back at 1700, earning 100 USD per ounce.

Practical Steps to Short Sell

Step 1: Technical and Fundamental Analysis

Enter your platform and determine if gold is in a downtrend. Use technical indicators (moving averages, trend lines) and monitor economic news and global events affecting prices. If signals point downward, consider opening a short position.

Step 2: Operation Setup

In the order window, select “sell” or “short.” Configure:

• Order type: Market (current price) or pending (future specific price)
• Quantity: In lots (one standard lot = 100 ounces). Adjust according to capacity and risk tolerance
• Leverage: Choose an appropriate level; remember it multiplies both gains and losses

Step 3: Set Take Profit and Stop Loss

Before executing, set levels to take profits (take profit) or cut losses (stop loss). Use indicators like support/resistance lines or Fibonacci retracements. This effectively protects your investment.

Step 4: Confirmation and Monitoring

Confirm the operation. Stay alert to market developments and make necessary adjustments based on new economic information or technical changes.

Investing in gold in 2025 presents concrete opportunities to diversify assets, but requires selecting regulated platforms, understanding available modalities, and managing risks properly. The five platforms presented offer regulatory security and competitive tools, each suited to different investor profiles.