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Is gld backed by real gold?

The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) ETF tracks the price of gold bars on the OTC market. GLD does not generate any revenue, and since GLD regularly sells gold to pay its current expenses, the amount of gold represented by each stock will decrease over time to that point. VelocityShares' long gold ETN (UGLD) aims to provide three times the return of the S&P GSCI Gold ER Index in a single day. In 2004, the launch of the publicly traded fund SPDR Gold Trust, with the symbol GLD, equalized the conditions for investment in gold by allowing a cheaper option than buying physical metal.

For those looking for more personalized advice and assistance, they can turn to a Gold IRA broker who can help them make informed decisions about their investments. The value of GLD shares is directly related to the value of the gold held by GLD (minus its expenses), and fluctuations in the price of gold could materially and negatively affect investment in stocks.