Most Traded Commodities For 2025

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Most traded commodities:

Oil (Brent and WTI): key for energy, heavily traded globally.
Gold: a safe-haven asset, popular during economic uncertainty.
Natural Gas: essential for energy, prices affected by weather and politics.
Copper: indicates economic health, vital for construction and electronics.

Commodity markets play a key role in the global economy, determining the value of raw materials used in manufacturing, energy, and agriculture. Understanding which commodities are the most traded is important not only for traders and investors, but also for governments, companies, and end consumers. In 2025, this topic is even more relevant amid global changes in supply chains, the shift to sustainability, and changing demand for certain categories of goods.

Most traded commodities in the world

A commodity market is a place where buyers and sellers exchange physical goods or derivatives of them. The role of commodity markets in the global economy is to set prices for key resources that are needed to produce goods and services.

What can be traded on the commodity market? There are three main types of commodities:

Energy: oil, gas, coal, electricity.
Metals: gold, silver, copper, aluminum.
Agricultural products: wheat, corn, coffee, sugar.

In 2025, the most traded commodities remain oil, gold, natural gas, copper, and soybeans. Here are the key indicators for some of them:

Oil (Brent and WTI)

Crude oil remains the most traded commodity. The average daily trading volume is about 92 million barrels per day, slightly below earlier expectations due to slowing global demand and increased production in the U.S. Oil prices fluctuate between $75 and $85 per barrel, influenced by geopolitical tensions and economic shifts. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects modest demand growth in 2025, with potential price volatility due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Gold

Gold is the second most traded commodity, maintaining its status as a safe haven during economic uncertainties. In 2025, gold is trading at an average price between $1,850 and $1,950 per troy ounce, with a global trading volume of around 3,500 tonnes per year. The demand for gold remains strong, driven by central bank purchases and investor interest during periods of economic instability.

Natural Gas

Natural gas has seen significant trading activity in 2025, especially with the ongoing global energy transition. The average trading volume on the spot market is approximately 385 billion cubic meters annually, with prices ranging from $8 to $12 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). This is largely due to increased production and fluctuating demand, particularly in the northern hemisphere during winter months.

Copper

Copper continues to play a crucial role in the global economy, particularly in the electric vehicle (EV) and infrastructure sectors. In 2025, copper prices average around $9,000 per ton, with trade volumes reaching 25 million tonnes per year. The demand for copper is sustained by the growing shift towards green energy and electrification, although there are potential risks from fluctuating global economic conditions.

Types of contracts for trading commodities

In commodity markets, the main instruments are:

Futures. Contracts that obligate the seller to deliver a commodity at a future date at a predetermined price. For example, oil futures are traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), and trading volumes of these contracts can reach millions of barrels daily.
Options. Contracts that give the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a commodity at a specified price in the future. Options are often used as insurance against price fluctuations.

Factors affecting commodity trade

Commodity trading is subject to a variety of factors that determine their price fluctuations and demand in the markets. The most important of these are fluctuations in supply and demand, geopolitical tensions, and technological breakthroughs. These variables can dramatically change market conditions, opening up new opportunities for traders and creating unforeseen risks.

Supply and demand. Pandemics, natural disasters, and political crises can significantly impact supply and demand, which can send shockwaves through the commodity markets.
Geopolitics. Sanctions, trade wars, and political instability can dramatically alter the availability and cost of commodities.
Technological change. The shift to sustainable energy sources and new manufacturing technologies can reduce or increase demand for certain commodities.

Due to global challenges, different commodities have their own specifics that nimble traders take advantage of:

Oil. High liquidity and strategic importance make oil a key commodity for trading. It is traded both physically and through futures and options. Oil is good to overbuy at low prices with extensive storage facilities. This helps to mitigate the risks of high prices during instability.
Gold. Investors often choose gold during periods of uncertainty. Its value is relatively stable, and it serves as a hedge against inflation. At the beginning of a period of geopolitical instability, gold begins to rise in price. Therefore, you need to be aware of world events in order to transfer part of your capital into gold in time.
Grain. Corn, wheat and other agricultural commodities are traded on exchanges both through futures and through physical contracts, which makes them popular among traders. Food is a strategic commodity and plays a critical role for countries that do not produce enough food to provide for all their citizens.

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Consider rare earth metals and the impact of tighter environmental regulations

I want to highlight a few aspects that are often overlooked when it comes to the most traded commodities. Along with oil and gold, rare earth metals will play a significant role in 2025. These metals, such as lithium and cobalt, are becoming increasingly important due to the growing demand for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage devices. Their shortages and difficulties in mining them can lead to sharp price spikes, creating new opportunities for traders who follow these markets.

I also recommend paying attention to the changing structure of commodity markets due to stricter environmental regulations. For example, coal, traditionally a top-traded commodity, is gradually losing its position. Many countries are switching to renewable energy sources, and this is having a downward effect on coal demand and prices. At the same time, the rise of green technology metals such as copper and nickel continues to accelerate, opening up new trading opportunities.

Finally, a piece of advice for those just starting out in the commodity markets: don’t limit yourself to studying current trends. It’s important to look at the long-term outlook and take into account global changes such as the shift to sustainability and technological innovation. Being able to see the big picture and predict future changes in the markets will help you not only adapt to current conditions, but also make the most of the opportunities they present.

Conclusion

Each commodity has its own unique history and value. In 2025, despite external challenges and changes, commodities such as oil and gold continue to play a central role, dictating their terms on the global stage. Understanding the factors that influence these markets allows not only to adapt to changes, but also to find new opportunities for successful trading. In a world where every day brings new challenges, it is deep knowledge and careful analysis that will help traders and investors stay one step ahead, confidently moving towards their goals.

FAQs

What are the emerging trends in commodity markets?

There is growing interest in commodities related to green technologies and sustainable development. In particular, there is an increasing demand for rare earth metals for batteries and renewable energy, as well as for agricultural products, as a result of changing consumer preferences and growing health awareness.

How can macroeconomic events affect commodity markets?

Macroeconomic events such as inflation and exchange rate fluctuations can significantly affect commodity markets by changing the cost of commodities. For example, inflation can increase the cost of extracting and transporting commodities, leading to higher prices, while changes in exchange rates can affect the cost of exports and imports.

What risks may arise when trading commodities?

Commodity trading may involve risks such as price volatility, geopolitical tensions, and supply issues. To minimize these risks, it is recommended to use hedging instruments such as futures and options, as well as diversify investments so as not to depend on one commodity or market.

How do technology and innovation affect commodity trading?

Technology and innovation have a significant impact on commodity trading by improving the processes of extraction, processing, and distribution of goods. For example, automation and digitalization of processes help reduce costs and increase efficiency, while innovations in data monitoring and analysis allow traders to better predict market trends and make informed decisions.

Team that worked on the article

Maxim Nechiporenko has been a contributor to Traders Union since 2023. He started his professional career in the media in 2006. He has expertise in finance and investment, and his field of interest covers all aspects of geoeconomics. Maxim provides up-to-date information on trading, cryptocurrencies and other financial instruments. He regularly updates his knowledge to keep abreast of the latest innovations and trends in the market.

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Chinmay Soni is a financial analyst with more than 5 years of experience in working with stocks, Forex, derivatives, and other assets. As a founder of a boutique research firm and an active researcher, he covers various industries and fields, providing insights backed by statistical data. He is also an educator in the field of finance and technology.

As an author for Traders Union, he contributes his deep analytical insights on various topics, taking into account various aspects.

Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO).

Investor

An investor is an individual, who invests money in an asset with the expectation that its value would appreciate in the future. The asset can be anything, including a bond, debenture, mutual fund, equity, gold, silver, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and real-estate property.

CFD

CFD is a contract between an investor/trader and seller that demonstrates that the trader will need to pay the price difference between the current value of the asset and its value at the time of contract to the seller.

Options trading

Options trading is a financial derivative strategy that involves the buying and selling of options contracts, which give traders the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell an underlying asset at a specified price, known as the strike price, before or on a predetermined expiration date. There are two main types of options: call options, which allow the holder to buy the underlying asset, and put options, which allow the holder to sell the underlying asset.

Diversification

Diversification is an investment strategy that involves spreading investments across different asset classes, industries, and geographic regions to reduce overall risk.

Volatility

Volatility refers to the degree of variation or fluctuation in the price or value of a financial asset, such as stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrencies, over a period of time. Higher volatility indicates that an asset's price is experiencing more significant and rapid price swings, while lower volatility suggests relatively stable and gradual price movements.