Throughout 2025, gold stocks have been some of the top performers and best stocks to buy as the precious metal has continued to climb higher.
Gold is a safe-haven asset, so it’s no surprise to see the yellow metal has gained a ton of popularity this year as political tensions and trade wars around the world have escalated.
Furthermore, gold is an asset that doesn’t produce a yield. That means in a rising interest rate environment, gold can underperform as investors move money into higher-yielding assets offering a better return.
However, it also means that as interest rates begin to fall, which we’ve seen this year, gold can gain a lot of momentum. And when you consider that the price of gold is still catching up to all the inflation we’ve had over the last few years, it’s not surprising to see the precious metal up 60% at one time this year.
Over the long haul, inflation helps drive up the price of gold both as more investors hold it as a store of wealth and as rising costs drive up the expenses for producers.
So, although the gains from gold this year have been significant, there are plenty of fundamental reasons behind the rally, which is why gold stocks continue to be some of the top investments to buy now.
With that in mind, if you’re looking for top stocks to buy for your portfolio right now, here are three of the best to consider today.
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One of the top gold stocks to buy on the TSX
If you’re looking for a high-quality stock to buy now and hold for years, IAMGOLD (TSX:IMG) is one of the best to consider.
When it comes to buying gold miners, often the very best businesses to buy and hold for the long haul are the ones with the lowest costs.
These companies have not only proven they can ensure their operations remain profitable in different gold price environments, but also consistently find new ways to grow their production year over year.
And since gold stocks are typically leveraged to the price of the yellow metal, the lower the costs to produce it, the more significant the stock can rise when the price of gold is increasing.
For example, if it costs a company $2,500 to produce an ounce of gold and the spot price for gold is $3,000, that company will earn $500 of margin on every ounce it produces.
However, if the price of gold were to increase from $3,000 to $3,500, just a 16.7% increase, the profit margin of the producer would increase from $500 to $1,000. So, although the price of gold increased just 16.7%, the profit of the company would jump by 100%.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that even with gold pulling back in recent weeks, and up just 54% on the year now, IAMGOLD stock has jumped by over 135%, showing why it’s one of the top gold stocks to buy now.
Two top gold ETFs
Since gold stocks are leveraged to the price of gold, they’re easily some of the best investments to buy right now. However, gold producers can also have higher operational risks, such as declining ore grades, political instability, or unexpected operational disruptions that can quickly erase margins.
That’s why, if you still want the leverage to the price of gold, but want an investment with lower risk and more natural diversification, iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF (TSX:XGD) is one of the top stocks to buy now.
Not only does the XGD considerably lower your risk by diversifying your capital into several gold producers, but it does so while still offering investors leverage. For example, year to date, the ETF is up over 100%.
If you want even less risk, especially after the significant run gold has already had this year, buying a gold ETF that simply buys and holds the gold for you, such as Sprott Physical Gold Trust (TSX:PHYS), might be your best bet.
By owning a fund that owns the physical gold for you, you still benefit when the price of gold climbs over the long haul, but you’re also less exposed if the precious metal pulls back slightly in the near term after its incredible rally to start the year.
