Spot gold, gold futures and gold ETFs are all closely linked to gold prices, but investors hold different assets and face different trading mechanisms and costs. This article explains the key differences.

Au(T+D) is a spot deferred-settlement gold contract on the Shanghai Gold Exchange. T stands for Trading and D for Defer. This article explains its margin, daily settlement, deferred compensation fee and physical delivery mechanisms.

Silver often leaves beginners with the impression of being "inexpensive." Compared to gold, the quoted price of silver per gram or per kilogram is visibly lower, leading some to intuitively assume that capital fluctuations in silver futures must also be relatively mild. The issue is that while charting software displays the unit price, actual transactions involve an entire standardized contract.

Many people, when first introduced to "London Gold," assume that it is gold mined in London, stored in London, or issued uniformly by a specific exchange in London. In fact, "London" refers more to a quotation, delivery, and settlement system of the international gold market, and does not indicate where the gold was originally produced.

Newbies often think all "buying gold" is the same. But different products hold different things. Physical gold bars? You get real gold you can see. Gold savings accounts? Just a record of gold weight in your account. Gold ETFs? You're holding fund shares. Trading gold futures or spot contracts? You're betting on price moves, not getting the gold itself. Names all link to gold, but the legal stuff, trading rules, and risks can be totally different.

Gold savings is like an "buy gold gram by gram over time" account. You don't get a gold bar right away—instead, open an account at a bank or institution that tracks your gold weight. ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) says it sets up an account for deposits over time.