How to Buy Grains on Trading 212: AIGG Explained

Published 3 August 2026

You can get exposure to a basket of the world’s staple grains, corn, wheat and soybeans, through a single investment. It trades on the stock market just like a share, so you can buy and sell it straight from your Trading 212 account. This guide shows exactly how to buy grains on Trading 212, what sits inside the basket, and how to place your order.

Grain prices swing on the weather, harvests and global demand for food and animal feed, which makes them a very different driver from shares or metals. A basket spreads your money across the main crops in one trade. If you would rather target a single crop, we also cover how to do that using individual products on Trading 212.

Key Takeaways

• Grains are bought through a futures-based commodity ETC, not physical crops or farming shares.
• The main option available on Trading 212 is WisdomTree Grains (AIGG), which tracks the Bloomberg Grains Subindex.
• The basket holds corn, wheat, Kansas wheat and soybeans, the core grain futures.
• AIGG trades in US dollars with no GBP line, so a pound account pays the 0.15% currency fee on the buy and the sell.
• The ongoing charge is around 0.49% a year, and because it is futures-based, the roll can drag on returns.

What You Are Actually Buying

Buying grains on Trading 212 does not mean sacks of corn or wheat arriving at your door, and it does not mean buying shares in an agribusiness either. Owning the crops physically would be impractical, and farming shares move on company results rather than the crop price itself.

Instead, you buy an Exchange-Traded Commodity (ETC) that tracks the price of a basket of grain futures. Rather than storing physical grain, it uses futures contracts to follow the market, with collateral held to back the position. Grains sit on the softer, agricultural side of the market, and our guide on soft commodities covers that whole area.

What Is Inside the Basket?

WisdomTree Grains (AIGG) tracks the Bloomberg Grains Subindex, holding the core grain futures: corn, wheat, Kansas wheat and soybeans. Corn and soybeans usually take the largest weights, reflecting their size in global trade. Because the basket spreads across several crops, a poor harvest in one can be offset by another, which makes it a tidy way to add a grains sleeve without betting on a single crop.

Building Your Own Basket

If you would rather set your own weights, you can combine individual crop ETCs. For wheat, our guide on buying wheat covers the single ETC and what moves the price.

For corn, our corn guide walks through the largest crop by volume. And for the oilseed side, our soybean oil guide covers the product pressed from soybeans, used in food and biodiesel.

Things to Watch Out For (Fees, Currency and Contango)

The exposure is futures-based. Grain futures are often in contango, where later-dated contracts cost more than near-term ones, so each roll can drag on returns and the ETC may lag the headline spot price over long holds. Grain prices are also seasonal, tied to planting and harvest cycles, so timing matters.

On costs, WisdomTree Grains is priced in US dollars and currently has no pound-denominated line, so a GBP account pays Trading 212’s 0.15% currency conversion fee on both the buy and the sell. The ongoing charge, shown as the expense ratio, is around 0.49% a year, and using a limit order helps you control your entry price.

The ETC Questionnaire

There is also one quick step to know about before your first purchase. Because ETCs are classed as complex products, Trading 212 may ask you to complete a short appropriateness questionnaire before you can buy one. Our guide to the Trading 212 ETC questionnaire explains exactly what it asks and how to complete it.

How to Buy Grains on Trading 212: Step by Step

Step 1: The Search

Open the search, the magnifying glass icon, and type Grains. Filter to the ETFs section to skip leveraged products and land on the standard tracker.

 

Step 2: Choosing Your Product

At the time of writing, the main option available on Trading 212 is WisdomTree Grains (AIGG), which tracks the Bloomberg Grains Subindex across corn, wheat and soybeans. Check the name says “Grains” rather than a single crop or an equity fund.

Note that it currently trades in US dollars, as there is no pound-denominated line at the time of writing. Fund availability can change, so it is worth checking Trading 212 for the latest options before you buy.

 

Step 3: Checking the Details

Click into the product and scroll to Instrument Details. Confirm the ongoing charge, shown as the expense ratio, is around 0.49%, and check the currency, which will read USD for AIGG. This is also where you can confirm it is the futures-based commodity ETC rather than an equity fund.

 

Step 4: Market vs Limit Orders

When you press buy you have a choice in the top right.

A market order buys instantly at the current price, which is convenient but can slip if the price moves while it processes.

 

A limit order lets you set the maximum you will pay and only fills if the price dips to your level.

Market and limit orders are just the starting point. Trading 212 also offers stop orders, stop-limit orders, and other tools that can help you buy at a specific price or protect against sudden drops.

For a full breakdown of how each order type works and when to use them, see our guide on Trading 212 order types.

Conclusion

For most people, WisdomTree Grains (AIGG) is the simplest way to hold the staple crops in one trade on Trading 212, spreading across corn, wheat and soybeans. Bear in mind it is priced in dollars, so a pound account pays the currency fee, and the exposure is futures-based, so contango can drag on long-term returns. If you have a view on a single crop, a dedicated ETC may fit better. For the wider picture, see our guide on commodities.

FAQ

What Is in the Grains Basket?

WisdomTree Grains (AIGG) holds corn, wheat, Kansas wheat and soybeans, the grain futures in the Bloomberg Grains Subindex.

Is It an ETF of Farming Shares?

No. It is a commodity ETC that tracks grain futures, not the shares of agribusinesses, so it moves with crop prices rather than company earnings.

Does It Have a Currency Fee?

Yes, if your account is in a currency other than US dollars. Because AIGG is priced in US dollars, Trading 212’s 0.15% currency conversion fee applies each time you buy or sell, so a pound account pays it on both trades. The ongoing charge is around 0.49% a year.

Can I Hold Grains in an ISA?

Yes. Grain ETCs can be held in a Stocks and Shares ISA, which shelters any gains from tax.

Why Might It Lag the Spot Price?

Because it tracks futures rather than physical grain. When the curve is in contango, rolling contracts forward costs a little each time, which can cause the ETC to trail the headline spot price over longer holds.