## [# The 20 Best Performing ETFs of 2025](/sections/features/20-best-performing-etfs-2025)
# The 20 Best Performing ETFs of 2025
Precious metals take over the ETF leaderboard.
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[By Sumit Roy ](/authors/sumit-roy)
Dec 26, 2025
Edited by: ETF.com Staff
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Precious metals ETFs dominate the list of the best-performing ETFs of 2025.
In fact, the top 15 spots on the leaderboard are all claimed by funds tied to precious metals, either through direct exposure to gold, silver, platinum and palladium, or through mining equities leveraged to those commodities.
The rally has been historic. Through Dec. 24, gold prices are up 71% year to date, while silver has soared 149%. Platinum is also up 149%, and palladium has jumped 89%. All but palladium are at record highs.
Gold has been the anchor of the move, benefiting from a powerful mix of drivers, including ongoing military conflicts, trade-war concerns, mounting government debt, inflation anxiety, questions around Federal Reserve independence and persistent speculative demand.
Once gold began to run, silver, platinum and palladium followed as investors looked for cheaper or higher-beta ways to express the same theme.
## Mining ETFs Deliver the Biggest Gains
But as strong as returns have been for the metals themselves, mining ETFs have delivered even more eye-popping gains. The highly popular [**VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX)**](/GDX) is up 166% in 2025, marking the first time since 2019 that the fund has outperformed gold itself. Yet even that massive rally only earns GDX the No. 11 spot on this year’s list of top-performing nonleveraged ETFs.
The top performer of 2025 is the [**iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP)**](/SLVP), which is up 212% on the year. The $833 million fund holds a basket of 30 companies that generate the majority of their revenues from silver exploration or metals mining.
Right behind it is the [**Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ)**](/SILJ), up 195%. With roughly $4 billion in assets and 62 holdings, SILJ targets smaller, earlier-stage silver miners.
In fact, the top 11 ETFs on the leaderboard are all silver and gold miner funds, spanning a mix of junior-focused strategies and broader industry exposure. Returns across that group generally range from the mid-160% area to just under 200%.
Only after that stretch do ETFs tied directly to physical metals begin to appear. The [**iShares Silver Trust (SLV)**](/SLV) and the [**abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF (SIVR)**](/SIVR) are both up roughly 148% on the year. They are followed closely by platinum-focused funds such as the [**abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT)**](/PPLT) and the [**GraniteShares Platinum Trust (PLTM)**](/PLTM), each posting gains around 146%.
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## Where Else Investors Found Big Returns
The first non-precious-metals ETF to crack the top tier is the [**Sprott Junior Copper Miners ETF (COPJ)**](/COPJ), which lands at No. 16. Copper prices have risen 43% in 2025 to record highs in both U.S. and London markets, driven by tariff uncertainty that has diverted supply toward the U.S., a weaker dollar, and growing structural demand tied to electrification and the energy transition.
That same cocktail of geopolitics, currency moves and long-term supply constraints shows up repeatedly across the broader list of top performers.
The [**Sprott Lithium Miners ETF (LITP)**](/LITP) is up 106% in 2025, while the [**Sprott Critical Materials ETF (SETM)**](/SETM) has gained 100%. The [**VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF (REMX)**](/REMX) isn’t far behind, up 99%.
Several notable ETFs outside the metals complex have also delivered outsized gains, even without cracking the top 10, 20 or even 30. The [**iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY)**](/EWY) is up 90%, supported by sharp rallies in SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics as investor enthusiasm around AI continues to build.
The [**CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF (WGMI)**](/WGMI) has climbed 88% despite bitcoin prices being lower on the year. Some mining companies have benefited from repurposing infrastructure toward high-performance computing and AI-related workloads, helping support equity prices even as crypto prices lag.
The [**iShares MSCI Peru ETF (EPU)**](/EPU) is up 88%, reflecting Peru’s role as a major copper producer. The [**AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF (PSIL)**](/PSIL) has gained 80%, while the [**Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD)**](/SHLD) is up 78%.
European equity ETFs have had a strong year as well. The [**Global X MSCI Greece ETF (GREK)**](/GREK), the [**iShares MSCI Spain ETF (EWP)**](/EWP) and the [**iShares MSCI Poland ETF (EPOL)**](/EPOL) have all posted gains in the high-70% range, reflecting improved growth expectations, increased infrastructure and defense spending, and renewed efforts to compete technologically with the U.S.
For a full breakdown of the 20 best-performing ETFs of 2025, see the tables below.
*Note: Data measures returns for the year-to-date period through Dec. 24 and excludes leveraged ETFs*
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[ Sumit Roy Senior ETF Analyst ](/authors/sumit-roy)
Sumit Roy is the senior ETF analyst for etf.com and author of (Don't) Invest Like a Pro. He creates a variety of content for the platform, including… [View Bio](/authors/sumit-roy)
Related Topics [Advisor Center](http://www.etf.com/topics/advisor-center-0)
[Equity](http://www.etf.com/topics/equity)
[Precious Metals](http://www.etf.com/topics/precious-metals)
[Gold](http://www.etf.com/topics/gold)
[Silver](http://www.etf.com/topics/silver)