High-Momentum ETFs to Mine for Gold, Silver, and Bitcoin

Key Points

• With investors concerned about the U.S. dollar, precious metals and even cryptocurrencies may gain new appeal.
• ETFs focused on companies exploring for gold and mining for silver, respectively, combine diversification with the benefits of indirect exposure to these metals.
• A fund targeting firms involved in or supporting the Bitcoin mining industry has returns of more than 100% year-to-date.

Gold, silver, and Bitcoin are all outperforming the broader market so far in 2025, with year-to-date (YTD) returns of 42%, 52%, and 17%, respectively. As the U.S. dollar weakens at a pace not seen in decades, investors are turning to these alternatives in search of a stable store of value and some protection against inflation.

Of course, there are ongoing debates about how high the precious metals rally can soar and whether cryptocurrencies may be destined for a correction, so caution is always warranted.

Still, investors looking for a momentum play on an alternative to traditional stocks and bonds will have many choices in the gold, silver, and Bitcoin space. While focusing on physical holdings of metals or digital token purchases may be the most obvious route, a dedicated exchange-traded fund (ETF) can simplify the storage and security question in each of these cases. 

We'll take a look at three ETFs below, each with a special focus on one of those three fast-growing alternatives.

High-Momentum Gold Miners Play by Global X

The Global X Gold Explorers ETF NYSEARCA: GOEX tracks an index of gold exploration firms across developed markets. Canadian companies make up over half of the portfolio by invested assets, with those based in Australia, the United States, and Indonesia also high on the list. The performance of these firms is often closely tied to that of gold itself, although some may also focus on other metals as well.

GOEX's indirect exposure to gold means it is not a pure-play gold fund, but it does provide advantages as well—including a dividend distribution paid at an annual yield of 1.13%. This ETF's expense ratio of 0.65% is on the high side, but the passive income provided to investors thanks to the dividend may outweigh these costs.

GOEX is not the most diversified ETF, but with 50 names in its portfolio it has a broader reach than some of its competitors in the precious metals mining space. And while a handful of bigger companies have outsized positions, the largest holding still represents under 8% of the portfolio. GOEX also stands out for its impressive returns in recent months—including almost 90% year-to-date (YTD).

Liquidity and Diversification Risks Aside, A Silver Miner Fund That Stands Out

Taking a similar approach to GOEX but with a focus on companies mining for silver, the Themes Silver Miners ETF NASDAQ: AGMI is one of the newer funds in the precious metals space. The fund launched in 2024 and has quite low assets under management and trading volume—investors should beware that liquidity may be a concern with this fund.

However, AGMI's limitations may be outweighed by its many benefits. First, its expense ratio of 0.35% is low for a niche strategy like this fund employs.

Like GOEX, it also pays out a dividend, though at a more modest yield of 0.89%. 

AGMI's global focus and narrow portfolio of just over a couple of dozen holdings allow it to be selective in its positions.

 While it is not the most diversified fund—due to the relatively small number of positions and the fact that the top 10 represent more than two-thirds of invested assets—AGMI's performance speaks for itself. This ETF has returned nearly 105% YTD, more than doubling since the start of the year.

Actively Managed Bitcoin Mining Fund More Than Doubles This Year

Focused on companies deriving at least half of their revenue from operations related to Bitcoin mining, the CoinShares Bitcoin Miners ETF NASDAQ: WGMI is the only actively managed fund on this list, and it also has the highest expense ratio (0.75%) as a result.

The fund focuses on North American companies, including those directly involved in crypto mining and those providing the hardware and software that make mining possible.

WGMI has an even shorter list of positions than AGMI above, with just 23 as of late September 2025. The top two positions—IREN Ltd. NASDAQ: IREN and Cipher Mining Inc. NASDAQ: CIFR—account for close to 40% of assets combined. However, investors willing to look beyond this relative lack of diversification will be impressed with the fund's 103% return YTD.