Platinum ETFs lagged peers with 18.57% annual gains as palladium fell 56% over five years due to EV adoption pressures.
Platinum and palladium ETFs underperformed gold and silver over the past year, diverging sharply from the broader precious metals rally. While SLV surged 63% and GLD gained 23%, platinum ETFs declined over 20% year-to-date, and palladium struggled with a 56% five-year drop.
The lag reflects platinum’s industrial demand tied to hydrogen fuel cells, contrasting palladium’s reliance on gasoline engines threatened by electric vehicles. GraniteShares Platinum Trust (PLTM) and abrdn Platinum ETF Trust (PPLT) hold identical bullion, but PLTM’s 0.50% fee undercuts PPLT’s 0.60%.
Palladium’s decline positions it as a supply-shock trade, while platinum’s hydrogen tailwind may narrow the performance gap with gold and silver.