Contrary to what many people think, gold is not the most expensive metal to trade. For example, coffee, which is one of the most traded commodities in the world, cannot be simply picked from a plant and put into a cup. Coffee needs to go through a complicated process before the beans (whole or ground) are ready to be used in a cafe or sold in a store. As it is sold on exchanges, coffee is cleaned, dried and packaged in sacks. Despite there being a seemingly endless list of financial assets available to trade, you may be wondering, out of all these choices, what are the most traded commodities in the world.
Trading
As commodities are traded on many different exchanges around the world with varying ticker symbols and contract specifications, it’s tough to really calculate the trading volume. Also, many commodity deals are done over-the-counter in private agreements. The list of most traded products and goods could be based on the number of contracts traded on major Futures and Options exchanges. For the commodities exchange market to function, all producers must work to the same standard.
As a rule, if global demand for oil is growing and production levels are falling or remaining unchanged, the price of the asset will rise. This is precisely why oil prices react so strongly to the weekly statistics on US oil reserves. This year, the Consensus algorithmic forex trading among our panelists is for the prices of most commodity groups to be roughly stable or decline slightly vs 2024. Precious metals will be the exception, as elevated global economic uncertainty is likely to keep investor demand high. The largest trading volumes for soybean futures are observed on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT).
Agricultural Commodities
- Soft commodities like Coffee and Cocoa are among the most traded and consumed goods in the world.
- But which commodities are the most important, and what is the outlook for commodity prices in 2025 according to our Consensus forecast?
- Platinum is a rare and valuable metal used primarily in jewelry, industrial applications, and catalytic converters for controlling vehicle emissions.
Iran, Russia and the U.S. are by far the largest producers, with the latter—along with Qatar—also the main exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Demand for natural gas should continue to grow going forward as developing economies industrialize and increasingly turn to the fuel as a cleaner alternative to oil or coal. However, competition from renewables and energy efficiency improvements will still limit the upside potential for demand. Looking at prices, our panelists’ 2025 natural gas price forecast is higher across all key markets—in Asia, the EU and the U.S.— compared to the 2024 average. As with wheat, soybeans are traded on commodity markets in the form of soybean futures contracts.
CFDs across Foreign Exchange, Metals, Commodity and Stock markets around the globe
Commodity trading is available both in physical form and in the form of standardized contracts. If a trader is not interested in the delivery of actual goods, they can purchase contracts for difference (CFD) and earn money on price swings. Trading on the commodity market is popular because these trading instruments are relatively predictable.
Iron Ore
Their presence underpins all aspects of the modern global economy, from the cars we drive to the food we buy and the electricity we summon with the press of a button. But which commodities are the most important, and what is the outlook for commodity prices in 2025 according to our Consensus forecast? The top ten list below is based on trade value data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC). In the summer of 2025, our Trading Co-Pilot showed how oversupply capped price rallies even as sanctions risk premia temporarily boosted Brent crude.
Together, they form the top 10 commodities in the world, the foundation of global trade. As a rule, the top five most traded commodities change frequently, which is due to the seasonal nature of demand for certain goods. However, it is safe to say that the top five spots are occupied by crude oil, gold, natural gas, sugar, and soybeans. When we talk about the highest traded commodity, we are really talking about the backbone of the global economy. These are the assets that underpin transport, energy, food supply, and industrial production. Crude oil, for example, is widely considered the largest traded commodity in the world, given its central role in powering economies.
The energy commodity market is by far the largest in terms of contracts traded and turnover. While there are many types of energy commodities available to trade, it’s the black gold which is traded the most. Brent Crude Oil is mostly traded on the ICE (Intercontinental Exhange), whereas WTI is mostly traded on CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange). As WTI is drilled and stored inland, there are a number of logistical obstacles that limit production.
WTI Crude
Silver is a precious metal that is most often found in nature as a by-product of the extraction of other metal ores. Since it is rarely mined in its pure form, silver is not as popular as gold. Nevertheless, silver is the second most widely traded precious metal after gold. Gas is mainly traded through physical deliveries, but in recent years, standardized gas contracts have become a popular means of investment. Natural gas is a valuable commodity used for electricity generation, household heating, industry, and transportation.
Long-term demand prospects are solid, buttressed by central bank purchases and increased industrial usage. In contrast, mined supply faces constraints due to declining ore grades and stricter environmental regulations. As a result, recycling of gold from electronic waste is expected to become a more significant supply source in the future. Gold prices have surged since the Covid-19 pandemic due to increasing global uncertainty and as a hedge against high inflation, approaching USD 3,000 per troy ounce in early 2025. While our gold price forecast is for prices to pull back slightly in the coming quarters, they will remain at some of the highest levels ever recorded. Crude oil is the lifeblood of the global economy, powering transportation, heating, and electricity generation while serving as a raw material for countless industrial and consumer products.
Another important factor in the precious metal’s pricing is the demand for gold bullion. Central banks around the world hold part of their reserves in gold and buy the precious metal. When the volume of these purchases begins to grow, gold also tends to surge in price.
- Сommodity trading is quite popular among traders with small amounts of capital.
- Gold, on the other hand, is seen as a store of value in times of economic trouble, and can act in an inverse way to oil.
- On the supply side, climate change poses risks to future production, with droughts and extreme weather increasingly impacting yields in the Americas.
- However, competition from renewables and energy efficiency improvements will still limit the upside potential for demand.
- The key marketplace for trading coffee bean futures is the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in the US, where Arabica contracts are traded.
- In contrast, there were just 458,999 Steel Futures and Options Contracts traded on the London Metal Exchange in 2019.
Sugar: Highest Volume Soft Commodity
Gold serves as both a financial asset and an industrial commodity, prized for its rarity, durability and conductivity. It is used in jewelry, electronics, and as a store of value in central bank reserves and investment portfolios. The largest gold-producing countries are Australia, China and Russia, while China and India dominate global demand due to their massive jewelry markets. Central banks, particularly in emerging markets, have been increasing their gold reserves in recent years as a hedge against inflation and geopolitical instability. Investment demand tends to rise in times of economic uncertainty, with short-term gold price movements also highly sensitive to interest rates and fluctuations in exchange rates—especially in the U.S.