Gold as an investment is the purchase of physical gold or gold-related financial products, such as gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), gold futures, gold stocks, and gold mutual funds. Gold has been used as a form of currency and a store of value for centuries, and it is still a popular investment today. Gold is seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it tends to increase in value when other investments, such as stocks, decline. Gold is also seen as a hedge against inflation, as its value tends to increase when the value of paper money decreases.