Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are reported to have close to $10 trillion in assets in 2021 globally, with a record-breaking $1 trillion inflow this year alone. They have also been picking up steam in India. Investors can easily purchase units of such schemes on the stock exchange when investing and simply sell the units when they want their money back.

       Many use ETFs to invest in gold in addition to equity. The Securities and Exchange Board of India recently cleared the way for silver ETFs. An ETF typically tracks prices by replicating an index without active fund management. Costs ...