The Best Gold ETF for 2027 Won't Surprise You. It's Still GLD.

It's never too early to start planning, and with barely more than four months remaining in 2026, now is a good time for investors to evaluate stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that can be embraced today and held into 2027 and beyond.

Preparation is one reason I'm eyeing the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: GLD) for today and 2027. The GLD ETF is the oldest and largest fund in the gold ETF category. This $157.1 billion SPDR ETF debuted in November as the first ETF backed by a physical asset to trade in the U.S.

The SPDR Gold Shares is the best ETF for investors seeking bullion exposure in 2027. Image source: Getty Images.

I believe that's a good segue into explaining this gold ETF to new investors and those unfamiliar with the mechanics of physical commodities ETFs. Just as our favorite equity-based ETFs hold, well, stocks, the SPDR Gold Shares is backed by holdings of physical gold. Those bars are stored in London and custodied by two of the world's largest banks, meaning investors don't have to worry about securing and storing actual gold.

And because this ETF is backed by physical bullion rather than futures contracts or other derivatives, its price action reflects what's happening in the spot market, not the futures market. I see that as advantageous for numerous investors because not only is the SPDR Gold ETF easy to understand, it doesn't confine investors to the timing element of the futures market (futures contracts have expiration dates), making the fund appropriate for long-term market participants.

No need to wait until 2027

I'm in the camp of SPDR Gold Shares 2027 believers, but there's no need to wait until then. Following a rough, multimonth stretch in which gold languished, betraying its safe-haven status amid the war in Iran, the yellow metal is roaring back with a vengeance.

For the month ending Aug. 26, this gold ETF surged 15.1%. I'm not going to complain about a 15.1% gain in a month. No investor should. What I will say is that gold's recent bullishness is worth examining not only because it positions the commodity to reclaim the psychologically important $ 5,000-per-ounce level, but also because the good vibes suggest the yellow metal is decoupling from interest rates.

I agree that "decoupling" is often investment mumbo jumbo, but gold's relationship with interest rates is important. Typically, when rates are high, gold loses luster because it doesn't pay a dividend or interest. The same is true of the SPDR Gold Shares. No dividends or other income streams.

However, the commodity and the ETF are on the mend, even as 30-year Treasury yields recently touched their highest levels in 19 years. That underscores the case for this ETF now and into 2027, because with gold rallying in this environment, the message is that investors are more concerned about the U.S. government's $40 trillion in debt and about gold's vulnerabilities to high rates.

GLD will shine in 2027

There are multiple reasons why I'm excited about the SPDR Gold Shares' 2027 prospects. Indeed, U.S. debt burden of $40 trillion is one of them. Let's keep it real. Material progress won't be made on that front over the coming months, so the U.S. will head into next year with an uncomfortably high debt level, one that could diminish the appeal of Treasuries while boosting the allure of gold.

Second, some of gold's primary demand drivers look strong. Bar and coin demand in China and India is robust. At the same time, data indicate that various Asia-listed ETFs comparable to the SPDR gold fund are packing on assets despite gold's rough patch earlier this year.

Finally, I'm a fan of this ETF because, like many of you, I'm primarily invested in stocks and equity-based ETFs (and a bond ETF). Portfolios heavy in stocks and bonds could use a dollop of gold exposure because the yellow metal is negatively correlated with those asset classes, meaning that when they zig, gold should zag.

Todd Shriber owns shares of the SPDR Gold Shares. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.