How to Buy Commodities on Trading 212: A Beginner’s Guide

Updated 31 July 2026

This guide explains how to buy commodities on Trading 212 without taking delivery of physical bars, barrels or other raw materials. Instead, you buy investments that track the price of commodities such as gold, silver, oil and natural gas, all through your Trading 212 account. We’ll explain what you can buy, the costs to expect, and which account is best.

Commodities are among the oldest asset classes and can help diversify a portfolio or provide a hedge against inflation. Each commodity works differently, so we’ve linked to detailed guides throughout if you want to explore a particular market in more depth.

 

 

Key Takeaways

• No physical metal or barrels: you buy commodities through ETCs and ETFs, not bars delivered to you.
• Commission-free on Trading 212: commodity ETCs and ETFs trade with no dealing commission, and you can start from £1 with fractional shares. Other fees may apply.
• Choose your account: an Invest account for general investing, or a Stocks and Shares ISA to shelter your gains from tax. (Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change.)
• Popular options: physically backed metal ETCs, futures-based energy ETCs, and broad commodity baskets such as AIGC.
• Costs to know: a 0.15% currency fee on non-GBP holdings, plus a small annual fund charge (the OCF).

What Counts as a Commodity?

A commodity is a raw material that is traded in bulk and is essentially interchangeable, regardless of where it comes from.

The main commodity groups are precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum; energy products such as crude oil and natural gas; industrial metals such as copper; and agricultural goods such as wheat, sugar, and coffee.

Because supply and demand drive their prices, rather than company earnings, commodities often move differently from shares. That is one of the key reasons behind investors holding them, the non-correlation with the rest of their portfolio.

A small allocation to commodities can diversify a portfolio of shares and bonds. Many investors use gold as a hedge against inflation and a store of value when markets are nervous.

The trade-off is volatility. Commodity prices can swing sharply, and unlike shares or bonds, they generate no income while you hold them.

How You Actually Buy Commodities on Trading 212

You cannot take delivery of physical gold or oil through Trading 212. Instead, you invest in products that track the prices of commodities. They trade on the stock market just like shares, making it easy to buy and sell commodity exposure from your Trading 212 account.

These investments are usually called Exchange-Traded Commodities (ETCs) or Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs).

An Exchange-Traded Commodity (ETC) typically tracks the price of a single commodity, such as gold, silver or oil, although some hold a basket of commodities.

Some ETCs are physically backed, meaning the provider stores the underlying metal in secure vaults on behalf of investors. Others cannot hold the commodity itself, so they track prices using futures contracts instead.

A commodity ETF works in a similar way but usually invests in a broader basket of commodities or commodity-related assets. You buy either one just like a share: search for the ticker, enter how much you want to invest, and place your order. Fractional shares let you start with as little as £1.

One more thing worth knowing before you start: because ETCs are treated as complex products, Trading 212 may ask you to complete a short, one-off appropriateness questionnaire the first time you buy one, and our guide to the Trading 212 ETC questionnaire covers exactly what to expect.

Buying Gold, Silver and Other Metals

Gold, silver, platinum and palladium, the precious metals, all trade as physically backed ETCs, with real metal held in a vault so the price tracks spot closely.

Gold is the most popular starting point and the classic safe haven. Our guide on how to buy gold weighs up the main ETCs.

Silver adds an industrial angle from solar and electronics. Our guide on how to buy silver shows how the ETC route sidesteps the 20% VAT on physical bars.

Platinum is rarer still and tied to hydrogen fuel cells, and our guide on how to buy platinum explores in full.

Palladium is the most volatile and the priciest to hold, which our guide on how to buy palladium breaks down.

Copper is the odd one out here, because it cannot be vaulted economically, so our guide on how to buy copper uses a futures-based ETC much like oil and gas.

If choosing between them feels like too much, how to buy a precious metals basket that holds all four in a single trade. Whichever you choose, you can still expect a 0.15% currency conversion fee if the listing is in another currency to your base currency on Trading 212 and a small ongoing fund charge. If you hold the investment in a Stocks and Shares ISA, any gains are free from UK tax. (Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change.)

Oil, Gas, and Broad Commodity Baskets

These types of commodities are accessed through futures-based ETCs, which track the price through contracts that roll over rather than through a physical barrel or tank.

Oil moves on geopolitics and OPEC+ decisions, and our guide on how to buy oil covers the Brent and WTI options plus the contango cost that suits it to shorter holds.

Natural gas is more volatile still and the worst hit by contango, so how to buy natural gas treats it as a short-term, tactical trade. And for one-click breadth across energy, metals and agriculture, a broad basket such as WisdomTree Broad Commodities (AIGC) does it in a single holding.

Which Account Should You Use?

The account you choose matters as much as the commodity you buy because it determines how you are taxed.

A Stocks and Shares ISA lets you hold commodity ETFs and ETCs with all gains tax-free. That makes it an ideal home for a long-term gold or broad-commodity allocation if you still have ISA allowance available. The Invest account holds the same products but without the tax shelter. (Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change.)

If you are not sure which wrapper fits, see our main guide on how to use Trading 212. It walks through the account types and how to choose between them, and it is the page this guide sits under.

What It Costs to Buy Commodities

There is no dealing commission on commodity ETFs and ETCs. The main costs to understand are the 0.15% currency conversion fee, because these products trade in a foreign currency, and the ongoing fund charge (OCF), which the provider deducts within the product. The OCF is typically only a fraction of a percent a year. (Other fees may apply.)

The OCF is typically only a fraction of a percent a year. On a £1,000 purchase, the 0.15% currency fee works out at £1.50.

Adding Commodities to a Pie

Because commodity ETFs and ETCs behave like any other holding, you can add them to a Pie and assign them a target weight. For example, you might allocate 10% to gold alongside your shares.

AutoInvest can then top up that allocation on a schedule and rebalance it back to your target as prices move. This makes it easy to maintain a steady commodities allocation without constantly monitoring it.

Pies and AutoInvest then do much of the work for you.

Conclusion

Buying commodities on Trading 212 means buying exposure rather than the physical asset. ETCs and ETFs provide a low-cost way to invest for the long term through an Invest or ISA account.

Gold is the most popular starting point, while a broad basket offers a simple way to diversify. The account you choose also determines how you are taxed. Note, Tax treatment depend on your individual circumstances and regulations which may change.

Treat this page as the map, and follow the links for the details on whichever route you want to take.

FAQ

Can I Buy Physical Commodities on Trading 212?

No. You cannot take delivery of physical bars or barrels through Trading 212. Instead, you can buy physically backed metal ETCs and futures-based energy ETCs that track the underlying commodity price.

Is there any Commission on Commodity ETFs?

No. There is no dealing commission. The costs are the 0.15% currency fee on non-GBP products on Trading 212 and the small ongoing fund charge built into the ETF or ETC. (Other fees may apply.)

Can I Hold Commodities in an ISA?

Yes. Commodity ETFs and ETCs can be held in a Stocks and Shares ISA, so any gains are tax-free.

Are Commodities a Risky Investment?

Commodity prices can be volatile and pay no income, so investors usually keep commodities as a small part of a diversified portfolio.