How to Invest in Gold in Canada: Bars, Coins, ETFs

Key takeaways

Bars: lowest premium per gram on larger sizes, but you must store and insure them
Coins: easy to sell in part, but higher premiums than bars, especially small coins
Gold ETFs: trade like shares, no storage to arrange, but a yearly fee (MER) and commissions
Digital gold: small amounts, vault storage, but check the fee, the spread and who holds the gold
Gold prices can go down as well as up. Past prices don’t predict future prices.

What are the ways to invest in gold?

“Investing in gold” can mean owning metal yourself or owning a claim on metal someone else holds.

Gold bars. Bars of 99.99% gold from 1 g up to 1 kg and more. Sold by banks and dealers.
Gold coins. Bullion coins such as the Royal Canadian Mint’s Gold Maple Leaf (99.99% gold; the 1 oz coin weighs 31.11 g). Priced on gold content plus a premium.
Gold ETFs. Exchange-traded funds listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange that hold gold. For example, BMO’s Gold Bullion ETF (ZGLD) holds physical gold stored in Canada. You buy units through a brokerage or bank investing account. See gold ETFs in Canada.
Digital gold. An app or platform buys gold for you, often in tiny amounts, and stores it in a vault. You can usually sell in the app, and some let you take delivery.

Some people also buy shares of gold mining companies. Those are company shares, not gold, and they carry business risks on top of the gold price.

Bars, coins, ETFs or digital gold: pros and cons

Option	Pros	Cons
Bars	Lower premiums on bigger bars; you hold real metal; no yearly fee if kept at home	Storage and insurance; a buy-sell spread; a big bar cannot be sold in part
Coins	Widely recognized; easier to sell part of your holding	Higher premiums than bars, and higher again for small coins
Gold ETFs	Buy and sell during market hours; no storage to arrange; can sit in an investing account	Yearly fee (MER) charged whatever the fund does; commissions; you never hold metal
Digital gold	Start with small amounts; storage handled for you	Fees and spreads vary; you rely on the provider and its vault

The Royal Canadian Mint says coins tend to have higher premiums than bars, smaller coins higher than larger coins, and that bars benefit from lower premiums.

What does investing in gold really cost?

Add up all of these, not just the price on the tag:

Premium over spot when you buy physical gold.
Spread: the gap between the seller’s price and its buyback price. You start each purchase “down” by this amount.
Storage and insurance for metal you keep, such as a safety deposit box, vault fees or a higher home insurance limit. The Mint notes storage comes with its own costs.
MER and commissions for ETFs. The Ontario Securities Commission’s investor site says you usually pay a commission each time you buy or sell an ETF, and the MER is a yearly percentage of the fund’s value. You find it in the ETF Facts or prospectus on the fund manager’s website.
App fees for digital gold, plus any spread.
Tax when you sell at a gain. See how gold is taxed in Canada and gold in a TFSA or RRSP.

Physical gold bars and coins of at least 99.5% purity that meet the CRA’s rules are generally exempt from GST/HST. Jewellery is generally taxable and also has making charges, so it is a costly way to invest. See jewellery vs investment gold.

What are the risks of investing in gold?

Gold prices can go down as well as up. Past prices don’t predict future prices.

Price risk. Gold can fall and stay low for years. Read about what drives the gold price.
No income. Gold pays no interest or dividends.
Currency. Gold is priced worldwide in US dollars. A change in the Canadian dollar changes your price in CAD even if gold does not move.
Theft and fakes. Buy from known sellers and keep receipts. See how to tell if gold is real.
Provider risk. With ETFs and digital gold, you depend on the fund or company and its custodian.

The Mint warns to be wary of providers who make guarantees or overly optimistic promises. This page is general information, not advice for your situation.

How do you start investing in gold?

Decide how much of your savings you are comfortable putting in something that can fall in value.
Pick a form: physical (bars or coins), an ETF, or digital gold.
For physical gold, compare quotes and buyback prices; see where to buy gold bars.
For an ETF, open or use an investing account and read the ETF Facts, including the MER.
Keep records of every purchase: date, amount, price paid.

If you want to buy small amounts regularly, RemitBee Gold is coming in early 2027: pure 24K gold from $10 at the live market price, one 0.5% fee shown before you confirm, stored in an insured vault in Canada. Join the waitlist at gold.remitbee.com.

Next steps: plan a regular amount with the gold savings planner and look at the gold price history in Canada.

Common questions

Is gold a good investment in Canada?

We can’t tell you whether gold suits you. Gold pays no income and its price can fall as well as rise. Past prices don’t predict future prices. A licensed adviser can look at your full situation.

What is the cheapest way to invest in gold?

It depends on amount and time. Larger bars have lower premiums but need storage. ETFs avoid storage but charge a yearly MER and commissions. Compare the total cost over the time you plan to hold.

Can I hold gold in a TFSA or RRSP?

It depends on the type of gold investment and the account rules. Bars you keep at home are not inside a registered account. See our guide to gold in a TFSA or RRSP for what qualifies.

How much do I need to start investing in gold?

A 1 g bar costs about the price of one gram of gold plus a premium. ETF units cost one unit price plus any commission. Some digital gold products let you start with a few dollars.

Sources

Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

How to invest in gold in Canada: bars, coins, ETFs and digital gold