ETFs expand retail access to alternative investments like gold, bitcoin, autocallables, and catastrophe bonds.

VanEck Gold Miners ETF underperforms cheaper rivals and physical gold over 10 years despite higher fees.

Over the past decade, VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) returned 183.15%, lagging behind the cheaper iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING) at 198.64% and physical gold (GLD) at 196.51%. GDX's higher fees, active rebalancing, and concentration in fewe...