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The price of gold today, as of 2:02 p.m. ET, was $3,638.55 per ounce. That’s up 0.88% in the past 24 hours. The lowest trading price within the last day: $3,588.12 per ounce. The highest gold spot price in the last 24 hours: $3,649.32 per ounce.
Compared to last week, the price of gold is up 4.23%, and it’s up 7.42% from one month ago. The 52-week gold price intraday high is $3,649.32, while the 52-week gold price intraday low is $2,485.72.
Gold Spot Price Today
The spot price of gold is the current rate at which gold can be bought or sold for immediate delivery. It’s most commonly quoted in U.S. dollars per troy ounce. One troy ounce weighs slightly more than a standard ounce, but prices may also be listed per gram.
Gold Price Chart
The chart above shows how the spot price of gold is trending over the year. Data is the latest known price of the day, and the chart doesn’t display intraday highs or lows.
The highest price gold has ever reached was $3,649.32 on September 8, 2025.
Should You Invest in Gold?
Investing in gold is one way to hedge against risk or diversify your portfolio. Over the past five years, the price of gold has appreciated 86.91% while the return of the S&P 500 has delivered 94.31%. (Note that we used the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) as a proxy for the performance of the S&P 500.)
Gold prices can be extremely volatile, and that means that gold isn’t an entirely stable investment. You can also craft a diversified investment portfolio without gold, with exposure to other alternatives. A few examples of alternative investments include private equity, cryptocurrencies, real estate and private debt, to name a few.
Is Now a Good Time To Buy Gold?
Whether now is a good time for you to buy gold depends on your personal investment goals, risk tolerance, time horizon and how you view the broader economic outlook and gold market forecasts.
Gold is often seen as a hedge against inflation or currency swings, or as a haven during economic downturns. A few drivers for the price of gold include:
- Persistent inflation. Constant reports of inflation being above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2% impact prices. Retail investors generally flock to gold when they are concerned that their purchasing power is eroding.
- Currency fluctuations. A weaker dollar, for example, can make gold more affordable for international buyers, driving up demand and increasing the spot value.
- Rising debt to gross domestic product (GDP). Rising U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio can spark concerns over currency devaluation and send some investors to hedge with gold.
- Central bank policies. More global banks are boosting gold reserves to diversify from the dollar amid trade wars, according to the World Council’s most recent Central Bank Gold Reserves survey. The survey implies that gold buying is likely to continue, as institutions seek to cut their dependence on the greenback.
According to JP Morgan’s global research forecast, gold prices are predicted to climb toward $4,000 by mid-2026.
History of Gold Prices
Gold prices rose after the U.S. ended the gold standard in 1971. The gold standard was the monetary system that pegged the U.S. dollar to a specific amount of gold. With the lifting of the gold standard, gold prices floated freely.
The price of gold then surged throughout the 1970s, a period also marked by soaring inflation. The precious yellow peaked at around 1980, trading above $600.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, gold prices fell and remained relatively stable, often trading between $300 and $400. Gold dropped to less than $300 per ounce in the late 1990s as inflation stayed low and the economy expanded.
Gold regained momentum in the 2000s. It spiked during the Great Recession, hitting above $1,900 in August 2011. It set a new high in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, trading north of $2,000 in August 2020.
Since then, gold has remained strong due to inflation and other economic factors. Gold crossed the $3,000 threshold in March 2025, peaking at $3,649.32 on September 8, 2025.
Is Gold an Inflation Hedge?
Gold investment allocations are typically used to offset stock market downturns within a diverse portfolio. In terms of gold being an inflationary hedge, studies show that there are times when there is a correlation between inflation and gold. But there are also periods when the correlation is negative.
“Gold may hedge the difference between headline and median inflation, sometimes called ‘headline shocks,’ more reliably than underlying inflation,” said Mark Fandetti, a portfolio strategist at Armstrong Advisory Group, in his 2024 CFA Institute study on “Gold and Inflation: An Unstable Relationship.” The study looks at headline inflation from 1979 to March 2024.
Fandetti’s study shows scatter points for gold price data around graphs with headline inflation. So the evidence is scattered and not consistent, showing some periods with a correlation.
How To Invest in Gold
Many investors consider gold a safe-haven asset. When the stock market drops sharply, gold may hold its value and can even appreciate as nervous investors rush in to buy.
When you hold a diversified mix of different assets, including gold, varying returns can protect the value of your investments.
“For most investors, 5% to 10% of your portfolio in gold or precious metals is reasonable. This isn’t about betting on gold—it’s about diversifying against currency risk, inflation, and market swings. As far as how to own it, you can physically hold it, or look into gold exchange traded funds or mutual funds. The biggest risks of owning gold are that it doesn’t produce income or dividends, and it can definitely be volatile,” says Michelle Taylor, a financial podcaster and founder of Women in Wealth, a platform for connecting other women to improve their finances.
There are many ways to invest in gold. Each has its pros and cons.
- Gold bars. More commonly known as bullion, gold bars are a popular choice for buying gold. Bullion is typically sold by gram or ounce. Purity, manufacturer and weight should be stamped on the face of the bar.
- Gold coins. The American Gold Eagle and the Canadian Maple Leaf are popular gold coins that can also be included in a gold investment retirement account.
- Gold IRAs. These are tax-advantaged retirement accounts that allow you to invest in physical gold. But they come with a few IRS rules. Just note that coins and bars must be IRS-approved versions. The IRS also mandates that the physical metal needs to be held by a qualified custodian. That’s because of compliance and strict rules that govern tax-advantaged accounts.
- Gold jewelry. Like gold coins, you’ll probably be paying extra for gold when you buy it in the form of jewelry. Just be aware that there might be a premium markup, depending on the manufacturer.
- Gold stocks. Buying the stocks of gold mining or processing companies is another way to invest in the yellow metal. You don’t get to own physical gold. But it is one way to gain exposure to the metal without physical ownership.
- Gold futures contracts. Futures are derivative contracts where a buyer agrees to purchase a set quantity of gold at a predetermined price on a future date. Gold futures let sophisticated investors speculate on prices and hedge their wider portfolios, providing exposure without the hassle of handling physical metal.
- Gold funds. There are different mutual funds and ETFs that provide exposure to gold. They may invest in gold stocks, or they may trade gold derivatives in the options and futures markets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best way to start buying gold?
Buying shares of a gold ETF is the easiest way to get exposure to gold for beginning investors. Owning physical gold—bars and coins—involves additional costs and risks, while shares of individual gold stocks can also be risky.
What causes gold prices to go up or down?
Gold prices fluctuate for several reasons. A few include supply-demand dynamics, just like any other commodity, to economic conditions and investor sentiment.
How can I buy physical gold at the spot price?
The spot price for gold is the current market price for immediate delivery of gold. This price changes constantly as market participants all over the world trade gold in a wide range of different markets. Online and brick-and-mortar gold vendors use the spot price as a handy reference, but they typically charge a spread fee on top of the spot price.
Why does buying gold cost more than the spot price?
Vendors add fees and premiums to their gold prices. These additional costs compensate vendors for acquiring, storing and insuring gold, not to mention funding their profit margin.