While stock markets reach all-time highs, global conflicts and stubborn inflation create uncertainty. Investors have become more defensive on markets, but everyday Americans are buying physical gold — benefiting one unexpected player — CostcoCOST

.

• Last August, Costco began selling 1 oz 24-karat gold bullion — with a modest 2% markup, the bars would retail around $2.4K.
• Wells Fargo estimates monthly sales of $100-200M for the retail giant, marking a significant but “very low profit business.”

Golden opportunity: Rising anxiety prompts Americans to invest in physical gold — turning the once-fringe, pessimistic practice of buying and storing gold into a mainstay for long-term investment. However, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) like the iShares Gold TrustIAU

could be more suitable for investors looking to capitalize on the gold rush, given the option to sell quickly.  Regardless, gold has already surged to all-time highs — with futures up 13% year-to-date to over $2.3K.

Read: The reasons behind gold’s remarkable rise and how geopolitical tensions influence investment strategies.