<div id="readability-page-1"><div><div><h2>Key Points</h2><ul><li>Gold and silver are two safe-haven investments that have been soaring in value over the past year.</li><li>Both metals look to be on track to hit some significant milestones in the near future.</li><li>The gold-silver ratio hasn't been this low in over a decade.</li><li>10 stocks we like better than SPDR Gold Shares ›</li></ul><p><span>In the past year, investors have been looking for safe investments to put their money into, amid rising concerns that valuations in the stock market are getting out of hand. Generally, when gold rises in value, it's a sign of growing fear from investors.</span></p><p><span>Over the past several months, however, it's been another metal -- silver -- that's been the hotter investment. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that hold gold and silver have performed tremendously well. Last year, the <strong>SPDR Gold Shares </strong><span>(NYSEMKT: GLD)</span> rose by 64%, while the <strong>iShares Silver Trust </strong><span>(NYSEMKT: SLV)</span> was up an incredible 145%. </span></p><p><span>So, which ETF might be the better buy this year? Let's have a look.</span></p><figure><div><div><p><span><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Xm.1C6156rC3_o3QwsHPbg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/motleyfool.com/2e422fccc15fd81ef92626a26b421e65?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="960" height="640" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Xm.1C6156rC3_o3QwsHPbg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/motleyfool.com/2e422fccc15fd81ef92626a26b421e65"/></span></p></div></div><p></p><figcaption>Image source: Getty Images.</figcaption><p></p></figure><h2>Gold and silver look poised to hit new milestones this year</h2><p>Both silver and gold have hit new all-time highs already in 2026. As of Jan. 19, the price of silver was around $94 per ounce, while gold was nearly at $4,700 per ounce. Silver would only need to rise another 6% to get to $100, while gold would need a similar rally to hit $5,000.</p><p>Given the ongoing concern in the markets and the uncertainty about economic conditions, investors may continue to pile more money into these two metals as the year goes on. But considering the speculation involved with these investments and how much they've already risen, there's also the possibility for profit-taking and a pullback in the near future, particularly if they hit these new milestones.</p><h2>What the gold-silver ratio suggests</h2><p>Gold and silver typically move together, as they are seen as safe-haven assets. However, one ratio to consider carefully when looking at these investment options is the gold-silver ratio, which tells investors how much more expensive gold is in relation to silver.</p><p>In recent years, the ratio has generally been around 70:1 or higher. Prior to this year, the last time it fell below 70 was in the summer of 2021, as inflation was running rampant and investors were concerned about stock valuations. The following year, the <strong>S&amp;P 500</strong> would go on to crash more than 19%. And that year, the iShares Silver Trust rose by 2%, while the SPDR Gold Shares fund was down less than 1%.</p><p>Today, the gold-silver ratio is well below 2021 levels -- it's around 50:1. It hasn't been this low since 2011. This suggests that gold may be relatively undervalued with respect to silver and could be the better performer this year.</p><h2>Should you invest in gold or silver this year?</h2><p>Although gold and silver are seen as safe-haven assets, that doesn't mean they aren't prone to declines. However, if I were to pick between these two, I'd go with gold today.</p><p>Given the explosive rise in the price of silver in recent months, it may be overdue for a correction in the near future and prove to be the riskier option in 2026. Plus, with gold looking relatively undervalued, based on the gold-silver ratio and generally being the go-to option in times of uncertainty and adversity, I think going with the SPDR Gold Shares ETF may be the better choice.</p><p>However, I wouldn't suggest allocating a big chunk of your portfolio to either ETF. While gold and silver have been hot investments of late, that hasn't historically been the case. And when there's so much of a buildup in price within a short time frame, it can lead to losses and volatility later on.</p><p>Investing in dividend stocks, index funds, and value stocks can be some of the other ways you can protect your portfolio if you're worried about uncertainty in the markets. Gold and silver can help diversify your portfolio, but their gains in recent years are by no means indicative of how they may perform in the future.</p><h2>Should you buy stock in SPDR Gold Shares right now?</h2><p>Before you buy stock in SPDR Gold Shares, consider this:</p><p>The <em>Motley Fool Stock Advisor</em> analyst team just identified what they believe are the <strong>10 best stocks</strong> for investors to buy now… and SPDR Gold Shares wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.</p><p>Consider when <strong>Netflix</strong> made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, <strong>you’d have $460,340</strong>!* Or when <strong>Nvidia</strong> made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, <strong>you’d have $1,123,789</strong>!*</p><p>Now, it’s worth noting <em>Stock Advisor’s</em> total average return is 937<span>% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 194% for the S&amp;P 500. <strong><span>Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with <em>Stock Advisor</em>, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.</span></strong></span></p><p><strong>See the 10 stocks »</strong></p><p><em>*Stock Advisor returns as of January 22, 2026. </em></p><p><em>David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.</em></p><p>Gold or Silver: What's the Better Investment for 2026? was originally published by The Motley Fool</p></div></div></div>

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<p>Gold and silver have reached new all-time highs in 2026, with silver priced at around $94 per ounce and gold nearly at $4,700 per ounce. The gold-silver ratio is currently around 50:1, suggesting gold may be undervalued compared to silver. While both metals are considered safe-haven investments, the analyst recommends gold as the better option due to its relative undervaluation and potential for stability amid market uncertainty. However, caution is advised as both metals may face corrections after significant price increases.</p>