Top Commodity ETF Gold Fund 'SPDR Gold Shares'

Gold should continue to be one of the best investments throughout 2010, although a possible temporary surge in the value of the U.S. dollar could cause some short term drop in 2010 gold prices. Even so, one of the safer and effective ways to invest in gold is through a ETF gold fund, which includes very low fees and can be invested in just like you do with stocks, as the ETF gold index funds are listed on exchanges just like stocks are.

By far the largest and most impressive of the exchange traded gold funds is the SPDR Gold Shares etf, which holds huge deposits of physical gold on behalf of investors in the index.

The etf gold fund SPDR Gold Shares is not only one of the best ETF gold performers, but among the fastest growing ETFs of all of them combined. SPDR Gold Shares is traded not only in America, but also on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Singapore Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange, giving it broad exposure across numerous global markets.

As of this writing, the SPDR Gold Shares fund holds about 1,133 metric tons of gold, which is over 36,300,000 ounces, and has a value of $40.2 billion at today's market price.

The misguided bailouts by the U.S. governments and other governments around the world of banks, investment banks, insurance companies, and a number of other poorly run businesses caused numerous investors to flee to gold for safety and protection against inflation, something many are still rightfully concerned about in 2010 and beyond.

Not only that, but the endless printing of money by the Federal Reserve and other central banks ensures inflation will surge in the years ahead, making gold a solid investment for some time into the future.

For tax purposes in the United States, gold is treated in the same way a collectible is, taxed at a long-term capital gains rate of 28 percent; assuming you hold it for a year or longer. While normal collectibles have restrictions in connection to retirement plans like 401ks and IRAs, SPDR Gold Shares are allowed to be invested in because of a government ruling. 

While not held in Fort Knox in the United States, the gold that forms the foundation of SPDR Gold Shares does reside in the London vaults of HSBC Bank USA.

Gold stored in this way is close to being as safe as you can hold physical gold, and centuries of protecting it in this way gives investors a peace of mind concerning the protection of the underlying assets. 

Obviously the vast majority of assets in the SPDR Gold Shares etf gold fund is, of course, gold. Occasionally, as need demands, there is an inclusion of a small amount of cash in the mix, but usually that doesn't last long. 

As you can see from the example of SPDR Gold Shares, investing in gold can be easy and profitable. ETF gold funds eliminate a lot of the concern and complexity of other gold investments, and allows you to simply watch gold via the fund as it tracks its immediate value. 

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